War & Law

Contemporary challenges for IHL

In contemporary armed conflicts, the challenge of upholding humanitarian values is not the result of a lack of rules but a lack of respect for them. There are currently a number of challenges to IHL that need to be addressed by the international community in such areas as terrorism, internment, the conduct of hostilities, occupation, and sanctions. Read full overview

Selected Topics

Occupation

The occupation of territory by a hostile army is regulated by international law; the Fourth Geneva Convention protects civilians under occupation, but current IHL faces complex challenges in some of these situations.
Privatization of war

Governments are increasingly using private military and security firms for tasks traditionally assigned to the armed forces. This raises issues over how IHL can be fully applied, so as to ensure protection for civilians.
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.
Terrorism

During war, IHL forbids most acts considered as "terrorist" if committed in peacetime. The law applies to regular armies and non-state groups. “Terrorist” acts in other situations may be subject to other bodies of law.