The number of humanitarian and human rights organizations carrying out protection work during war and other situations of violence is on the increase. It is therefore necessary to agree upon common professional standards, for the sake of those whom these organizations are aiming to help. That is the objective of a document the ICRC has just published in conjunction with a number of other organizations. Explanations from Pierre Gentile, who is responsible both for ICRC activities aimed at protecting civilians and for this project.

War, disasters and migration split up many thousands of families. The suffering created by such situations is not always visible to others. This global problem is mostly a silent tragedy. Olivier Dubois, deputy head of the Central Tracing Agency and Protection Division of the ICRC, discusses assistance given to family members separated by such events.

This policy document begins by defining key notions and describing the framework for action. It then outlines the principles of the ICRC’s protection framework, as well as the operational guidelines based on that framework. The document concludes by describing different types of ICRC protection activity and outlining specific considerations related to the various categories of beneficiary.

These guidelines set out the ICRC’s position with regard to hostage-taking in situations in connection with which it is conducting operations.

The Central Tracing Agency and Protection Division provides strategic support and professional expertise to field operations in three areas of activity – protection of the civilian population, protection of people deprived of their freedom and restoring family links; the latter also covers activities relating to missing persons and their families.

The number of humanitarian and human rights organizations carrying out protection work during war and other situations of violence is on the increase. It is therefore necessary to agree upon common professional standards, for the sake of those whom these organizations are aiming to help. That is the objective of a document the ICRC has just published in conjunction with a number of other organizations.

Fifteen children, until recently soldiers, are greeted in Bukavu on their way home. It's the end of an ordeal marked by combat, pillage and rape. Marie-Servane Desjonquères reports from South Kivu.

This document has been developed by the ICRC together with an advisory group composed by personnel from different organizations and NGO, serving in their personal capacity based on the depth and diversity of their protection experience and expertise within their agencies and organizations. The purpose of the standards is to establish a shared basis for the protection work of humanitarian and human rights actors in armed conflict and other situations of violence.

This brochure explains how the ICRC works to protect civilians in armed conflict and other situations of violence, proposing a step-by-step, multidisciplinary approach. The first chapter focuses on the preliminary analysis of protection problems affecting a given population. The second introduces a classification of ICRC protection activities for civilians. The third and final chapter covers issues of interest to organizations that deal with protection data.

This volume presents the results of workshops on protecting civilians in armed conflict and situations of internal violence that have been organized by the ICRC over the last four years. It includes contributions by over 100 professionals from 50 different organizations. Its aim is to promote shared principles and practices, and to raise the levels of professionalism and effectiveness in organizations working in the field of protection.

Media professionals are increasingly at risk of being wounded, killed, detained or kidnapped while reporting in armed-conflict situations. Robin Geiss, an ICRC legal expert, talks about the protection to which they, as civilians not taking part in the fighting, are entitled under international humanitarian law.

Address by Angelo Gnaedinger, ICRC Director-General, Humanitarian and Resident Coordinators' Retreat, Geneva, 9 May 2007

The ICRC calls for the adoption of an International Convention against Enforced Disappearances. Speech by Philip Spoerri, director of law, International Committee of the Red Cross.

Photos illustrating ICRC activities around the world in 2009. The media is welcome to use these images, which can be downloaded at high resolution.

The recently published guide "Professional standards for protection work" aims to provide a common basis for protection work conducted by the numerous organizations active in this field. These photos illustrate some of those standards.

For nine years the civilian population has had no respite from the conflict between government forces and insurgents of the Communist Party of Nepal – Maoist (CPN-M). The ICRC has endeavoured to perform its task of looking after the welfare of people protected by international humanitarian law while drawing the attention of bearers of weapons to their obligations under that body of law.

IDPs are of primary concern to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Ensuring their protection lies at the core of its mandate, operational concerns and priorities - article published in Forced Migration review, IDP Supplement, October 2005. By the head of the Protection Division, ICRC.

Visits by ICRC delegates to those deprived of their freedom during armed conflict have been made to people all over the world since the height of the First World War. Here, former detainees express their thoughts and feelings about the ICRC's role in letters, interviews, speeches and other written testimonies.