International humanitarian law (IHL) is the set of rules designed to limit the human cost of armed conflict. It protects people who are not, or are no longer, directly participating in hostilities; and it restricts the methods and means of warfare. IHL …
No. The ICRC’s work is grounded in international humanitarian law (IHL), the body of international rules enshrined in the Geneva Conventions of 1949, designed to limit the human suffering caused by armed conflict and applicable national norms. The Geneva …
In its work, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) understands “missing persons” to be individuals whose families have no news of them, or who, based on reliable information, have been reported missing as a result of an armed conflict ( …
The Global IHL Initiative is a joint effort launched in 2024 by Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to elevate IHL as a political priority in a bid to reverse the trend of …
Capacity-building in the health-care sector We support health-care systems at different levels to prevent, mitigate and manage the effects of violence. In Haiti, throughout 2026, fierce armed clashes have been affecting people in the capital, Port-au- …
Mr President, Wars fought without rules transform wars between combatants into wars against civilians. In recent weeks, I have undertaken several missions to the Middle East, where the impact of conflict on civilians is painfully clear. But brutal …
Held at the Palais des Nations, the event brought together representatives from Geneva-based permanent missions, UN officials, humanitarian practitioners, academics, students, and policymakers for an engaging and impactful dialogue. The event was …
The ICRC delegation for Venezuela and the Caribbean, based in Caracas, works to mitigate the humanitarian consequences of violence. It also conducts activities related to its mandate and addresses other immediate needs in Cuba, the Dominican Republic, …
40 officials from the MFA, the Ministry of Defense, the Ministry of Justice and other ministries and institutions were briefed by Cordula Droege, the ICRC’s Chief Legal Officer and Head of the Legal Division about ICRC mandate and role, international …
Strategically located just one hour from Port Sudan, Jeddah provides an efficient operational hub, enabling the ICRC to deploy staff into, out of, and within Sudan with greater speed and flexibility. This will help sustain humanitarian operations and …
The participants discussed the achievements and ongoing challenges related to the search for missing persons and to the identification process. This dialogue, guided by the humanitarian principles of the coordination mechanism, remains crucial for …
In my earliest memory, my mother is crouching over a small pot of boiling water in Dima Refugee Camp, one of the settlements in Ethiopia’s Gambella region. The fire hissed in the cold night air as she urged my siblings and me to stay close, warning us not …
The competition aimed to encourage the teaching of IHL, raise students’ interest in the subject, and support practical legal education through simulated armed conflict scenarios reflecting real-life situations, in which students assumed different legal …
“Millions of people in Iraq continue to endure the consequences of wars and must be spared from further cycles of violence,” ICRC President Mirjana Spoljaric said on the conclusion of her two-day visit to the country. “Safeguarding Iraq’s path to recovery …
When I learnt that I would begin my mission in Colombia, it was impossible not to think about everything I had to do. The challenge is great for those arriving in a country of remarkable human richness yet marked by decades of armed conflict. Therefore, my …
Other types of explosive hazards also had serious effects on civilians. 765 people, 71 per cent of whom were civilians, were injured or killed by controlled detonation devices and launched explosive devices. The impact of such explosive hazards depends to …
Beyond the conduct of hostilities, civilians faced different forms of violence and abuse in areas where state and non-state armed actors were present and exercised control, such as homicides, disappearances, threats, recruitment, use and participation of …
According to the Comprehensive Victim Support and Reparation Unit (UARIV), at least 235,619 people were displaced individually, 87,069 were displaced in mass displacement events, and 176,730 remained confined. In the same year, the ICRC recorded 965 people …
In 2025, the ICRC documented 845 alleged violations of IHL. This figure corresponds only to the cases known to the organization and does not necessarily reflect all situations that occurred in Colombia. Most of the recorded cases occurred outside of …
About the ICRC The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is a neutral, impartial and independent organization with an exclusively humanitarian mandate that stems from the Geneva Conventions of 1949. It helps people around the world affected by …
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