Stop putting targets on aid workers’ backs
Opinion: By Yasmine Praz Dessimoz, Director of Operations for the ICRC I have sent colleagues from the International Committee of the Red Cross into war zones. I’ve waited anxiously for check-in …
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To protect humanitarians is to protect communities: World Humanitarian Day 2025
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 …
“A grave betrayal of humanity": Abhorrent attacks on aid workers must stop
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 …
ICRC president: "International humanitarian law only as strong as leaders’ will to uphold it"
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 …
ICRC president: “If states invest in defence, they must also budget for international humanitarian law”
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 …
The International Day Of the Disappeared: Memory Boxes - Gardens of Memories
"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 …
Afghanistan: summary of operational facts and figures, January to June 2025
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, …
Philippines: States in Asia Pacific region commit to greater support for rules of war during regional conference
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 …
How the ICRC helps sustain life in Armenia’s borderlands: A day with Harutyun Harutyunyan
“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 …
The Treatment of Detainees: From the Perspective of Islamic Law
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 …
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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.