Armed conflict and the pandemic accord: what states should do next for conflict-affected populations
Armed conflict and other humanitarian emergencies disrupt health systems in many ways. Sometimes during conflict, health structures are themselves targeted, increasing the vulnerability of health systems. All this makes addressing pandemic prevention, preparedness, and response (PPPR) in such settings extremely difficult and means that, in reality, responses to the needs of people in these settings continuously fall short.
In this post, ICRC’s Head of Health Dr. Micaela Serafini, and ICRC Policy Adviser Avigail Shai outline the key issues which must be addressed in global efforts to agree on a Pandemic Accord, to ensure that those people most affected by armed conflict and violence are not left behind when – not if – the next pandemic strikes.
Being accountable and including people affected by conflict while designing the humanitarian response is crucial. Explore some of the dilemmas that practitioners face while practicing this moral and ethical imperative.
How can humanitarians deliver on a people-centric agenda? Read about the importance of adaptability, multi-level accountability, and a genuine commitment to people-centric values that underpin the humanitarian movement.
🌌🚀 War, Law and Outer Space
This new blog series creates a space for debate and discussion on war, law, and outer space, laying out the potential human cost on civilians of military space operations during armed conflicts and outlining the existing rules regulating and restricting such operations under international humanitarian law (IHL).
In this new series, learnabout the existing rules, including the role of IHL and recommendations to minimize the risk of civilian harm.
Read about the relationship between military and civilian space services, the risks and policy solutions to mitigate civilian harm.
Explore how the framework of space security governance needs to be strengthened in light of the increasing militarization of outer space.
📅 Mark your calendars
Save the Date: What measures must be taken to protect civilians against digital threats during armed conflict? Sign upand discuss concrete recommendations from legal, technical, and policy leaders of the ICRC’s Global Advisory Board.
Digital MOOC: The growing impact of digitalization on crises puts pressure on humanitarian workers who might feel helpless. This new course, produced by the ICRC, MSF, and the EPFL, will help professionals to build critical minds.
Conference: The ICRC will be exchanging with key actors from Caribbean countries during CARICOM’s Conference on Autonomous Weapon Systems (AWS) to tackle one of the most pressing humanitarian concerns for the future of armed conflict.
When armed groups detain people, soldiers, or civilians, IHL sets clear obligations to protect their lives and dignity. Learn about the basic obligations under IHL that every non-state armed group (NSAG) must respect when taking detainees.
📝 Call for papers
The International Review of the Red Cross (IRRC) has launched its call for papers: “Military Perspectives on International Humanitarian Law.” For this edition, we invite proposals discussing military perspectives on IHL – and especially encourage those with current or former military experience to submit papers. 📅 Proposals are due 30 September 2023.
Read this New York Times article that references the ICRC’s Law & Policy blog's guidance regarding publishing information about prisoners of war (PoWs).
Take a look at this IHL in Action case study from India, that shines a spotlight on the importance of IHL education, for the upcoming International Day to Protect Education from Attack.
Jointhe Law & Policy Outreach community on LinkedIn to stay updated on all things IHL and policy.
For the millions of people in countries reliant on humanitarian assistance, greater support is desperately needed to save lives and avert further suffering. You can help the people you are reading about.
