The universality of international humanitarian law (IHL) assumes that its principles transcend cultural, geographical, and political boundaries. However, this presumption is challenged by the complexities of how IHL is perceived and implemented across different sociocultural contexts. Bridging the gap between theoretical universalism and practical application requires strategies that are sensitive to local cultural and normative particularities.  

In this post, part of the Emerging Voices series, Ayan Abdirashid Ali explores how Somali literary traditions, particularly Sugaanta Soomaaliyeed, offer a unique and effective means of aligning IHL’s ethical framework with local cultural narratives, thereby enhancing its legitimacy and effectiveness. By weaving together legal and cultural perspectives, she highlights how such traditions can serve as powerful tools for fostering peace and reconciliation in conflict-prone regions. 

📝 In Case You Missed It

Reaffirming IHL’s specific protection of hospitals

Find out more about how IHL’s specific protection of hospitals is both robust and comprehensive, grounded in a presumption of neutrality that can only be lost in narrowly defined cases.

The shifting battlefield: technology, tactics, and the risk of blurring lines in warfare

Uncover how evolving technologies are transforming the tools, tactics, geography, and participants of war, reshaping hostilities and raising urgent questions for the protection of civilians.

Complying with IHL in large-scale conflicts: detention operations in international armed conflicts

Explore the legal, operational, and humanitarian challenges of conducting large-scale detention operations and why compliance with IHL must begin long before the first capture.

📅 Mark your Calendars

Join us for Shifting the Stigma: Prevention and Protection for Victims and Survivors of Sexual Violence in Conflict on June 19, organized by the ICRC and the Geneva Centre of Humanitarian Studies. Drawing from operational evidence and collaborative research, this hybrid event aims to highlight the importance of reducing stigma against victims and survivors of sexual violence in conflict settings, bridge knowledge gaps and inspire evidence-based action by integrating stigma-sensitive approaches into humanitarian responses and academic inquiry.

Be part of the conversation at AI in Military Decision Making: A Dialogue on How to Enhance IHL Compliance on June 17. Organized by the ICRC, this hybrid event explores how AI- decision-support systems (AI-DSS) are reshaping military operations and raises critical questions around their legal and humanitarian implications. The event will bring together experts to examine the legal, technical, and operational considerations on AI use in military decision-making, and discuss the ICRC’s recently published preliminary recommendations on the development and use of AI-DSS in armed conflict. 

💡 In the Spotlight

The Islamic Law of War: Relevance and Impact in Contemporary Armed Conflict

Watch this public lecture by ICRC Legal Adviser Dr. Ahmed Al-Dawoody at Georgetown University Qatar, addressing the ICRC’s legal and operational challenges in Muslim contexts through the lens of both IHL and Islamic law.

The Red Cross Digital Emblem: A New Era of Cyber Protection for Humanitarian Organizations

Listen to this episode of the Tech Talks Daily podcast, as ICRC Legal Adviser Samit D'Cunha unpacks the Digital Emblem Project’s technical foundations, designed to ensure global and decentralized protection for humanitarian organizations facing cyber threats.

Call for Applications: 5th Kırımlı Dr. Aziz Bey IHL Competition & Advanced Summer School

Apply now for this unique in-person program that will be held in Istanbul from 14 to 19 September 2025 combining lectures, simulation rounds, and team-based legal challenges.

African Traditions and the Preservation of Humanity in Warfare 

Find out more about the ICRC’s recent research, launched on Africa Day, exploring the correlation between IHL and the traditional values of several peoples across the African region.

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