On World Humanitarian Day , we honour the courage and commitment of those who put themselves on the line to bring relief in times of conflict and disaster. This year’s commemoration comes with a …
This statement on World Humanitarian Day is attributed to Kate Forbes, president of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, and Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the …
Speech given by Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross, on 18 August 2025 in Bangkok, Thailand and the 11th HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Lecture on …
18-08-2025 Bangkok (ICRC) —As armed conflicts escalate globally and states increase their military spending, Mirjana Spoljaric, president of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), urged …
"Memory Boxes" is an activity implemented by the ICRC for the families of those missing due to the conflict in Syria. It is part of the accompaniment program, which aims to provide psychosocial …
In the first half of 2025, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) facilitated improved access to primary health care, mostly for women and children, by donating medical supplies, …
15-08-2025 Manila (ICRC) –At least 24 states from the Asia Pacific region have committed to greater political support for international humanitarian law (IHL), or the rules of war. This was agreed …
“Going beyond only providing short-term aid, our aim has been to help people shape their future,” says Harutyun Harutyunyan, a staff member of the ICRC’s economic security unit. Goris is more than …
Even during an armed conflict, the enemy must be treated humanely. Today, the rules of humane treatment of detainees are set out in international humanitarian law (IHL). However, long before these …
The people of Afghanistan faced a grim humanitarian and economic crisis following the change of authorities in August 2021. Decades of past conflict, combined with sudden economic difficulties and …
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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.
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.
Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.
