México: Humanitarian Report 2024
The violence in Mexico is deep, complex, and constantly evolving, yet humanitarian needs persist. We work to protect and assist those affected by violence, including families of missing persons, …
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ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric: “War without limits equals suffering without end”
ICRC Statement at the 148th Assembly of the Inter-Parliamentary Union. Special High-Level Intervention on the Geneva Conventions. Dear President, honourable members of the Assembly, I am delighted to …
ICRC 2024 Opinion Paper - How is the term "Armed Conflict" defined in international humanitarian law?
The legal classification of armed conflict – determining whether a situation of violence is an international armed conflict (IAC) or a non-international armed conflict (NIAC) under international …
Members of the Commonwealth and Red Cross and Crescent to discuss IHL in South Africa
15-04-2024 Pretoria (ICRC) – The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of the government of South Africa (DIRCO), and the South …
Crisis in Nigeria: How to Train a War Surgeon
In a bid to save civilians in one of the longest-running conflicts in West Africa, training is underway to prepare the next generation of Nigerian war surgeons. “Today is your last day on earth.” …
How is the Term “Armed Conflict” Defined in International Humanitarian Law? International Committee of the Red Cross Opinion Paper 2024
Since 2008, the ICRC has observed several transformations with regard to how armed actors participate in armed conflicts, either as parties to the conflict, or in support of parties. This includes …
ICRC Expert Meeting: Preventing and Mitigating the Indirect Effects on Essential Services from the use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas – 3, 5 and 9 October 2023
In November 2022, the Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences Arising from the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas was adopted. …
ICRC President: "The obstacles that block humanitarian access must be immediately overcome"
15-04-2024 Speech given by Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross, at the Humanitarian Conference on Sudan and neighboring countries, in Paris. (Check against …
Haiti: ICRC activities in 2023
In the Republic of Haiti, in particular in the metropolitan area of Port-au-Prince, the ICRC used its expertise to respond to the protection needs of people affected by armed violence. The ICRC …
ICRC in the G20
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) will participate in official activities of the Group of Twenty (G20) in São Paulo, Brazil. On April 30, the ICRC will be represented by Digital …
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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.
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.