The aim of the International Review of the Red Cross is to promote reflection on humanitarian law, policy and action in armed conflict and other situations of collective armed violence. A specialized journal on humanitarian law, it endeavours to promote knowledge, critical analysis and development of this law and to contribute to the prevention of violations of rules protecting fundamental rights and values. The Review also offers a forum for discussion on contemporary humanitarian action and for analysis of the causes and characteristics of conflicts so as to give a clearer insight into the humanitarian problems they generate.

The Review is made up of four main sections:

• The first contains articles on the theme under discussion in the respective issue.
• Selected articles on international humanitarian law not related to that theme may be published in the second section, according to their originality, importance and academic standard.
• The third section, entitled Notes and comments, contains shorter contributions and comments on specific events, legislation or judgments, as well as book reviews. Like the selected articles on humanitarian law, these notes and comments need not necessarily be linked to the particular theme of the Review concerned. They are also meant to take up current issues giving rise to debate.
• Finally, in the Reports and documents section, the Review publishes official ICRC documents, conference reports, etc.

FUTURE THEMES
September 2007 - December 2008

The following list of topics indicates areas of reflection, debate and critical analysis for contributions to the Review. Within the parameters of the journal’s aim, topics may be examined from a historical, legal, political, military-security, psycho-sociological or humanitarian perspective, taking either a general or a regional approach. The points of interest mentioned below by no means exhaust the various subjects that could be addressed in relation to the future themes.

The dates given below for each theme indicate the planned dates of publication of the respective issue of the Review. Articles must be submitted not later than four months ahead of publication, e.g. by the end of May 2007 for the September 2007 issue. See also information for contributors and guidelines for referencing.

Deadline for submission: end of June 2007

Torture and other forms of ill-treatment have been recognized and declared illegal by the community of States in several international and regional legal instruments as well as in the domestic legislation of most countries. Consequently, the prohibition of torture and other forms of ill-treatment is considered absolute at all times, even for States that are not party to the legal instruments banning such practices and that do not have national legislation prohibiting such treatment. However, in recent years and in connection with the international fight against terrorism, some States have called the absolute character of the prohibition into question and are developing legal justifications for justifying the use of torture. The purpose of this theme is to address the arguments put forward by these States. Articles offering a political or historical analysis of the use of torture are also welcome. The following topics could be analysed:

Possible topics

• The fight against torture (political)
• Torture in historical terms
• Exceptional means in exceptional circumstances?
• The victims of torture and rehabilitation centers
• Causes of torture: longstanding and widely entrenched practices, implementation of instructions and policies, inadequacies of training and methods adopted by law enforcement agencies, disruption in the chain of command, poor discipline, lack of political control over the repressive system and impunity (political or sociological)
• Medical participation

Humanitarian Law

• The definition of torture
• Torture and ill treatment under humanitarian law and human rights law
• Means and methods to prevent and eliminate torture and ill-treatment
• Compensation to torture victims

Deadline for submission: end of October 2007

The situation in Iraq reflects an increasingly complex conflict: criminal anarchy, a raging insurgency and sectarian clashes in a society divided into rival groups, scepticism over the capacity of "outsiders" to solve the problems, etc. As we enter the fifth year of hostilities, the Review seeks to provide a forum for retrospective as well as prospective analysis. What are the implications of the Iraqi war for the region? And vis-à-vis international humanitarian law? What can be learned from this humanitarian crisis? Is it the birth of a new approach to humanitarian action? We welcome different perspectives on this theme, whether political, legal, historical or sociological. The following topics could be analysed:

Possible topics

• New phenomena in the humanitarian situation in Iraq
• Remote control: new approach to humanitarian action
• Islamic websites
• Regional political implications of the Iraqi war
• From occupation to State building?

Humanitarian law

• Restrictions in warfare (including islamic perspectives)
• Categories of detainees in Iraq
• Terrorism as warfare and its impact on the society

Deadline for submission: end of February 2008

Humanitarian actors today, including the International Committee of the Red Cross, work principally in situations which fall below the threshold of armed conflict. It is particularly in these situations, where international humanitarian law is not applicable, that international human rights law can be invoked as the basis for protecting persons in situations of violence. Moreover, international human rights law also plays a complementary role to international humanitarian law in situations of armed conflict. The debate on the relationship between international human rights law and international humanitarian law has therefore shifted from the applicability of human rights law to the question of the extent to which recourse should be had to human rights law and conversely, on the desirability of invoking international humanitarian law to “grey” situations. We welcome articles dealing with this general problematic as well as articles which explore the links between United Nations' human rights instruments or regional human rights instruments and international humanitarian law.

Possible Topics

• Universality of IHL and HRL (philosophical)
• Obligation or rights-approach? (legal)
• Coordination between human rights organizations and humanitarian actors on the field (humanitarian action)
• Tolerance and Respect of the Person

Humanitarian law

• Protection under IHL and Protection under Human Rights Law
• Below the threshold of IHL
• The Human Rights Council
• Special rapporteurs, thematic rapporteurs and IHL
• The case law of the European Court of Human Rights on IHL
• The case law of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights and IHL
• Extraterritorial application of the European Convention of Human Rights
• Enforced disappearances

Deadline for submission: end of May 2008

The International Review of the Red Cross has already dedicated one issue to Africa. In light of the particular problems Latin America faces, it now wishes to devote one issue to this continent. Here are some possible topics which could be approached:

Possible Topics

• Urbanisation in Latin America (urban sciences)
• Guerrillas (political evolution of guerrilla groups)
• Indigenous people

Humanitarian law

• Violence below threshold of IHL
• The missing in Latin America
• Urban violence and the laws of war
• Jurisprudence of the Inter-American Court of Human Rights on IHL
• Amnesty laws in Latin America

Deadline for submission: end of August 2008

The concept of victim has evolved greatly since the beginning of the twentieth century. Wounded and sick combatants are no longer seen as the primary victims of war. Women, children, minorities, the disabled or the elderly are attracting more attention and are increasingly taken into account in post-conflict programs. The “ideology of victim” or victim approach raises a number of questions for humanitarian law and action. Is the current state of international humanitarian law able to adequately protect these newly recognised categories of victims of war? Is a general protection approach or a specific approach based on categories of victims more efficient? The following topics could be analysed:

Possible topics

• Who is a victim? (philosophical and sociological aspects)
• Different perceptions of victims throughout history (historical)
• Hierarchy of victims: Poverty, sickness, war and non-discrimination (sociological)
• Helping victims : Protection or Assistance of victims (humanitarian action)
• Memory of victims (historical)
• Victims approach in humanitarian action (humanitarian action)
• Victims' empowerment and capacity building (humanitarian action)

Humanitarian Law

• Approach of the Geneva Convention and the Additional Protocols: General protection or specific protection
• Children, Women, Men or the Disabled: Categories of victims
• Minorities as victims
• Direct and indirect victims of wars
• Victims of man-made and natural disasters
• Internally displaced persons
• Migrants
• Compensation