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. …
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 …
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.” …
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 …
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 …
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 …
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, …
By Miguel Ramírez, head of operations of the ICRC in Mexico Diana Gutiérrez's mother Adulfa is 81 years old and disappeared on 13 September 2016 in the State of Mexico. Her daughter and other …
18-04-2024 The high human cost of violence in Mexico and Central American countries is an issue that can only be addressed through sustained and coordinated cross-border action by states, according …
When war breaks out in cities, the complexity and interconnectedness of the urban environment poses many problems for civilians. For persons with disabilities, the impact can be even worse 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.
