Protected persons: Missing persons
Many people go missing in war, causing anguish and uncertainty for their families and friends. People have the right to know what has happened to their missing loved ones. Governments, armed forces …
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Protected persons: Women
International humanitarian law aims to prevent and alleviate suffering in war without discrimination based on sex. That means that women’s needs must be accounted for. Highlight General and Specific …
Occupation
Recent years have seen an increase in extraterritorial military action. Some of these interventions have given rise to new forms of foreign military presence in the territory of a state, and these …
Protected persons: The wounded, the sick and health-care providers
Protecting the sick and wounded in armed conflict was the founding principle of the 1864 Geneva Convention. That principle remained the core of international humanitarian law as it extended to other …
Urban warfare and violence
It is heartbreaking to watch a city you love die. Yet that is exactly what happens when armed conflicts are fought in the middle of cities, endangering the lives of civilians and the infrastructure …
Legal review of weapons
International humanitarian law limits both the choice of weapons and the means and methods of warfare. So when developing or acquiring new weapons, states should determine whether they comply with …
Mirjana Spoljaric Egger
President of the ICRC Mirjana Spoljaric is president of the ICRC since October 2022. Under her leadership, the ICRC carries its unique mandate to protect lives and dignity and to relieve people’s …
Our history
Since our creation in 1863, we have worked to help, protect and provide humanitarian assistance to people affected by armed conflict and other violence. Feature article 160 years on the side of …
Frequently asked questions about our work
Your questions answered This hub brings together frequently asked questions about our work, organized by both geographic region and key thematic areas such as international humanitarian law, health …
The Assembly
This is the team that leads the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). Responsibilities and tasks The Assembly is our supreme governing body. It oversees the organisation and ensures we …
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ICRC library
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.