War in cities: what is at stake?

As part of ICRC's 2017 Conference cycle on "War in Cities", ICRC President Peter Maurer will address the specific legal and operational challenges of urban warfare and the steps that must be taken to better protect the civilian population in urban areas.

With two thirds of the global population predicted to be living in cities by 2030, urban centers worldwide are struggling to absorb this growth. Armed conflicts and violence have been urbanizing too, and therefore so has humanitarian action.

We are increasingly witnessing the catastrophic impact of armed conflict in urban environments with some 50 million people today bearing the brunt of the consequences. Civilians are killed and injured, communities are torn apart and displaced, and basic services that are essential for survival are destroyed. There is no need to stress the dramatic long-term mental health impact such conflicts have on the population.

This is a joint event between the ICRC and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies. An introduction will be given by Mr Philippe Burrin, the Director of the Graduate Institute.

Register for the event here.

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