Moldova: 2025 International Humanitarian Law Essay Competition for Students

ELIGIBILITY

All current undergraduate (Bachelor’s) and graduate (Master’s) students enrolled in universities in the Republic of Moldova in the fields of law, international relations, political science, military studies, or other disciplines are invited to participate.

SUBJECTS:

* War in cities and the protection of civilians: There is little room for doubt that towns and cities are and will remain a primary battleground for armed conflicts. To what extent are states prepared to minimize the humanitarian consequences arising from urban warfare? Analyze what measures should be taken to improve compliance with IHL and how best to minimize the humanitarian consequences arising from urban warfare.

* New technologies of warfare: From drones to autonomous weapon systems, artificial intelligence in military planning and decision making as well as cyber operations, information operations and other digital threats, new technologies are transforming the nature of modern warfare. To what extent existing IHL rules can regulate the use of new technologies of warfare? Analyze whether the existing norms are sufficient or whether new legal rules are required to address the challenges posed by the above-mentioned developments.

* International humanitarian law and the protection of the natural environment: Countries affected by armed conflicts are coping with the rapidly intensifying global environmental and climate crisis and armed conflicts themselves deepen the crisis by damaging the environment and reducing people’s resilience to erratic weather and climate shocks. How does IHL protect the natural environment? What states and non-state armed groups should do to safeguard the environment of conflict-affected communities – and future generations – from the immediate and long-term impact of warfare?

* International humanitarian law and social media: As the legal advisor of a coalition of the major social media, you have been requested to draft a response following the release of pictures of prisoners of war by parties to an ongoing conflict on one of the media. The members of the coalition also want you to look at other challenges and implications surrounding the use of social media by combatants and non-state actors be it for propaganda, recruitment, real-time tactical coordination during armed conflicts or circulating pictures of victims of war. In your analysis, consider how the social media could be held responsible under international humanitarian law.

PRIZES:

The 1st prize essay will receive a one-week internship at the ICRC Mission at Chisinau and publication of the essay in the Moldavian Journal of International Law and International Relations.

The 2nd prize essay will receive a one-day visit to the ICRC Mission at Chisinau and publication of the essay in the Moldavian Journal of International Law and International Relations.

The 3rd prize essay will receive a collection of IHL books from ICRC and publication of the essay in the Moldavian Journal of International Law and International Relations.

Certificates of participation will be provided for all submissions that are not disqualified.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:

Eligible students are invited to submit their essays in Romanian, Russian, or English to the following email address: a.dreptinternational.rm@gmail.com, with CHS_Chisinau_Mailbox@icrc.org in copy. The essay should be between 1000 and 3000 words (excluding footnotes and bibliography) and must include a separate summary of 150–300 words.

For more details, participants are encouraged to consult the Competition Rules.

DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION: 15 October 2025