China: ICRC attends the 50th Florence Nightingale Medal Award Ceremony
… of WWII led to the adoption of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, cornerstone of International …
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South Africa Urges African States to Champion International Humanitarian Law
… the backdrop of the 76th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, celebrated a week earlier, the … Despite the universal ratification of the Geneva Conventions, violations of fundamental …
Frequently asked questions about the ICRC’s work in Iraq
… in international armed conflicts, the Geneva Conventions grant the ICRC the right to visit … armed conflicts, Common Article 3 of the Geneva Conventions permits the ICRC to offer …
Afghanistan: Swift response needed to help those hit by devastating earthquake
… humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around … please contact: Achilles DESPRES, ICRC Geneva, adespres@icrc.org tel: +41 79 848 49 …
The International Committee of the Red Cross closes its delegation in the Republic of Azerbaijan
… 02-09-2025 Geneva (ICRC) – Following a decision by the … and the country’s obligations under the Geneva Conventions. We intend to preserve our …
ICRC president: Mass evacuation of Gaza City unfeasible and incomprehensible
… 30-08-2025 Geneva (ICRC) – The following is a quote … humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around …
Syria: ICRC calls for sustained and collective efforts to address the issue of the missing
… humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around …
Number of missing people registered with the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement up nearly 70% in five years
… 29-08-2025 Geneva, 30 August 2025 - The number of people … missing is reduced. For example, the Fourth Geneva Convention includes t he duty to avoid … please contact: Press Office, ICRC Geneva, press@icrc.org …
International Day of the Disappeared: Conflict in Sudan drives missing persons cases in Africa
… humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around …
Frequently asked questions about the closure of ICRC’s office in Azerbaijan
… in its unique mandate established in the Geneva Conventions, the ICRC has worked in Azerbaijan … respective mandate and obligations under the Geneva Conventions. All other remaining …
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Created in 1863, the ICRC library, alongside the ICRC archives, provides an indispensable documentary reference on the organization itself and international humanitarian law.
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International humanitarian law is based on a number of treaties, in particular the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols, and a series of other instruments.
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Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.