Cultural property
The law protects cultural property during armed conflict. That protection stems from the principle that damage to the cultural property of any people, in the words of the 1954 Hague Convention, is …
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Legal review of weapons
International humanitarian law limits both the choice of weapons and the means and methods of warfare. So when developing or acquiring new weapons, states should determine whether they comply with …
Other bodies of law protecting persons affected by violence
IHL and other legal regimes are complementary in armed conflicts. They are, however, distinct and separate, especially jus in bello (or IHL), which regulates the way war is conducted, and jus ad …
Work for the ICRC
Working in the humanitarian sector is both rewarding and challenging. If this is the career path that you see yourself on, keep reading. This flyer will help you understand how the International …
New technologies and warfare
Technological developments have given rise to new methods and means of warfare, such as cyber attacks, armed drones and robots, raising novel humanitarian and legal challenges. New technologies, new …
Protected persons: Missing persons
Many people go missing in war, causing anguish and uncertainty for their families and friends. People have the right to know what has happened to their missing loved ones. Governments, armed forces …
Military operations in space
Despite the international community’s long-term desire to explore and use space for peaceful purposes, military use of space and space objects has been an integral part of contemporary warfare for …
Compliance with IHL
Working with states and parties to conflict to ensure compliance with international humanitarian law is at the core of our mandate under the Geneva Conventions. IHL in action IHL in action: Respect …
Detention
The Third Geneva Convention protects prisoners of war. It establishes their rights and sets out detailed rules for their treatment and release. International humanitarian law also protects other …
Food security
Nowhere are the consequences of the global food crisis felt more than in countries already facing humanitarian crises and torn apart by decades of warfare or instability. International humanitarian …
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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.