The flag of mercy
The ICRC produced this film in 1941, describing its work in favour of millions of prisoners of war, through its Geneva-based tracing …
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Living with earthquakes in Nepal: “When is it going to finally be over?”
There is one thing all of us in Nepal have struggled to do since 25th April: live with uncertainty. The hundreds of aftershocks that followed the 7.8 magnitude earthquake on that Saturday had been …
South Sudan: New fighting will bring new suffering
18-05-2015 Geneva/Juba (ICRC) – The ICRC fears that tens of thousands of civilians forced to flee new outbreaks of fighting in South Sudan will suffer from a lack of food and health care while on the …
Argentina: The ICRC’s humanitarian work during the military dictatorship
The opening of a photo exhibition in Buenos Aires was the occasion for a panel discussion on the ICRC's work during the 1976-1983 dictatorship in Argentina. The exhibition, entitled War from the …
Somalia: The plight of a Yemeni refugee
"We were used to the sound of gunfire but it later changed to aerial bombardments coming down like rain. I had nowhere to run, no underground shelter to hide in. We had to flee Yemen for safety." …
Doctors at a Nepali hospital: “We are in a war without enemies”
The medical team at Dhulikhel Hospital, half an hour drive from Kathmandu, has been working round the clock to save lives after the earthquake on 25th April. On 12th May, the hospital had to face the …
Ethiopia: Special police forces learn about humanitarian principles
Sixty-eight members of the Special Force of the Ethiopian federal police widened their knowledge of international human rights standards and humanitarian principles for policing. A two-day seminar …
Philippines: Moving towards self-sufficiency
Basey, Samar, Philippines Countless crops were damaged or destroyed when Typhoon Haiyan ravaged central Philippines in 2013. Among those heavily affected were coconut farmers who rely on trading …
Philippines: Resilience amidst natural and man-made disasters
"During Typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan), we were told to evacuate, so we moved to my in-law's house up the hill. When it was over, we came back and our house was gone, completely washed away. The same thing …
Philippines: New and safer home for Haiyan survivors
It has been a year and a half since Typhoon Haiyan devastated central Philippines, affecting the lives of more than 16 million people. Recovery efforts continue in many affected communities – …
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ICRC library
Created in 1863, the ICRC library, alongside the ICRC archives, provides an indispensable documentary reference on the organization itself and international humanitarian law.
IHL treaties
International humanitarian law is based on a number of treaties, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and a series of other instruments.
Customary IHL
Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.