War & Law

War and International Humanitarian Law

Armed conflict is as old as humankind itself. There have always been customary practices in war, but only in the last 150 years have States made international rules to limit the effects of armed conflict for humanitarian reasons. The Geneva Conventions and the Hague Conventions are the main examples. Usually called international humanitarian law (IHL), it is also known as the law of war or the law of armed conflict. Read more

Highlights

Selected Topics All War & Law

The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols

The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are international treaties that contain the most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. They protect people who do not take part in the fighting.
Respect for IHL

All States and other parties to an armed conflict have an obligation to respect and ensure respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) in all circumstances. They must use their influence to prevent and end violations of IHL, and refrain from encouraging violations by other parties.
Cluster munitions

In 2008, governments adopted the Convention on Cluster Munitions, which have killed and injured large numbers of civilians. This treaty prohibits the use, production, stockpiling and transfer of cluster munitions.
Nuclear weapons

The ICRC calls on all States not to use nuclear weapons, to take measures to limit the risk of proliferation and to pursue negotiations on a complete ban on nuclear weapons and their elimination.
Security detention

Detaining people for State security reasons is an exceptional measure that is increasingly used both in armed conflict and in other situations. There are grounds for concern over the protection of these people’s rights.
Refugees and IDPs

Refugees are people who have crossed an international frontier, fleeing persecution in their country. Internally displaced persons (IDPs) have not crossed a border but have, for whatever reason, also fled their homes.

IHL in brief

Reference documents

Latest issue of the International Review of the Red Cross

Afghanistan, law and humanitarian action. IRRC, 2011 - No. 881 - Conflict in Afghanistan (II)

Publications More publications

Study on the use of the emblems

Operational and commercial and other non-operational issues
Hateymalo: psychosocial support program

The ICRC launched the Hateymalo program in 2010 to help the families of missing persons (FoM) cope with the ambiguity of their loss through the provision of psychological, socio-cultural, economic, and legal/administrative support.