Humanitarian action and peace

Working towards an environment where peace can sustainably take hold is a humanitarian imperative. For people living through conflict, peace means more than the simple absence of war - it is the condition that allows families to stay together, communities to rebuild, and societies to heal.

While making peace is not the mandate of humanitarian organizations, humanitarian action can ease suffering, uphold human dignity, and help create the conditions in which peace becomes possible. However, this cannot be a substitute for political solutions. Only sustained political commitment, supported by adherence to international law, can prevent and end armed conflicts.

The ICRC calls on States and all parties to armed conflict to preserve the fundamental norms of humanity embodied in international humanitarian law (IHL), and to remember the hard-won consensus forged in the desire to “save succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” 

For the ICRC, every aspect of our work responds to human needs born from conflict and violence. 

The ICRC operates according to the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence. These principles are essential for gaining the trust needed to access populations affected by conflict and to work in situations of intense political polarization.

Because of these principles:

• The ICRC does not mediate comprehensive peace agreements or facilitate political negotiations.
• The ICRC does not advocate for particular political outcomes or pathways to peace.
• The ICRC reminds parties of their obligations under IHL, irrespective of the political dimensions of a conflict.

The ICRC’s contributions include: helping to repair the torn social fabric through conflict-sensitive programming, ensuring attention to humanitarian issues in political processes, hosting neutral humanitarian spaces for dialogue between parties, and strengthening respect for the laws and norms that center the protection of human dignity. These efforts can create a more conducive environment for peace, but they do not replace the political will required to achieve and maintain it. 

IHL is designed to limit the effects of armed conflict. It applies only in situations of armed conflict and does not dictate when or how peace should be sought.

However, respect for IHL plays a crucial indirect role in paving a path out of war towards peace:

• It reduces harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure, enabling societies to rebuild more quickly when hostilities end.
• It can foster a minimum of trust between parties, keeping channels of dialogue open even in the harshest moments.
• It can help prevent cycles of revenge, atrocities, and trauma that can undermine long-term stability.
• It supports post-conflict recovery by addressing the legacy of violence through obligations related to missing persons, detainees, the dead and explosive remnants of war. 

States bear the primary responsibility for ensuring respect for IHL. By upholding the law and taking measures to prevent violations, States contribute to conditions in which peaceful solutions become more attainable.

The prevention and resolution of armed conflicts fall within the political realm. States, intergovernmental organizations and regional actors have central roles to play, including through:

• sustained diplomatic engagement
• inclusive political dialogue
• addressing root causes of grievances
• strengthening governance and rule of law

Although humanitarian organizations cannot carry out these political functions, their presence on the ground helps reveal humanitarian needs and consequences that decision-makers must consider when seeking durable solutions. 

Across the world, civilians bear the heaviest burden of armed conflict. The humanitarian needs generated by today’s conflicts are immense and growing. While humanitarian organizations can help alleviate suffering, meaningful change requires political decisions.

This reflection is carried forward through the ICRC’s IHL and Peace workstream, including within the Global Initiative on International Humanitarian Law (GIIHL), which explores how respect for IHL can support dialogue, de-escalation and post conflict recovery, within humanitarian limits.