Iraq: 40 years of our work in photos
Nasiriyah, 1991 An ICRC nurse is taking care of the newborn babies. Baghdad, 1991 Distribution of drinking water to the civilian population in Husseiniyeh suburb. Penjwin, 1992 ICRC convoy carrying …
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Digital Dilemmas Dialogue #2.1: A Humanitarian look at Assistance Programming and Social Protection Systems
How is digitalization impacting humanitarian assistance? What collaborations and partnerships does this require? And how do these programmes (and the data they generate) interact with existing social …
A statement from Robert Mardini, ICRC Director General, on the calls for a ceasefire to vaccinate people against COVID-19
17-02-2021 “Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, conflicts across the world have continued to rage while new armed confrontations have flared. More than 160 million people live in fragile and …
Philippines: Helping people affected by conflict and the pandemic
A snapshot of ICRC response in the Philippines in 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in major health and economic challenges for millions of Filipinos in the last year, but the effects were …
Mali’s invisible front line: climate change in a conflict zone
Across Africa’s Sahel region people are enduring ever-increasing levels of violence. While conflict dominates headlines, climate change adds a second pernicious dimension to the mix. Lemba Bisimwa, …
Webinar: Conflict-related sexual violence and Buddhist principles
As part of the webinar series on the Interface between Buddhism and International Humanitarian Law (IHL) , the Transnational Network of Theravada Studies in collaboration with Shan State Buddhist …
Central African Republic: The ICRC transports 25 wounded to Bambari Hospital
20-02-2021 Bangui (ICRC) – On 15 and 16 February, violent clashes between state armed forces and armed groups broke out in the town of Bambari. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) …
“State of emergency declarations are not a free pass to circumvent the law.”
ICRC President's address to the Human Rights Council. President, esteemed colleagues A year ago, when this Council met, the COVID-19 pandemic was unfolding across the globe. Leaders proclaimed 'we …
COVID-19: Lockdown love and longing for family in Zamboanga jail
While jail visits remain on hold during the COVID-19 pandemic, detainees and their loved ones maintain contact through video calls. On the 14th of February 2021, Rafael sent his wife Kim a chocolate …
"States must continue to ensure respect for IHL to limit environmental degradation due to armed conflict from happening in the first place"
Statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross, delivered by Laetitia Courtois. Thank you very much to Switzerland, Germany, Niger and Igarapé for organizing today's discussion. Almost one …
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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.
IHL treaties
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 IHL
Customary international humanitarian law consists of rules that come from "a general practice accepted as law" and that exist independent of treaty law.