THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS AS A MECHANISM FOR PROTECTING CIVILIANS DURING ARMED CONFLICTS
Main Article Content
Abstract
The protection of civilians is a key component of international humanitarian law (IHL), which seeks to safeguard individuals who bear the brunt of the consequences of armed conflict. IHL places limitations on combatants, restricting the use of military force to combatants alone, thereby affording specific protections to civilians during times of war. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stands as one of the most effective international bodies in the field of civilian protection, thanks to its ongoing efforts in the development, implementation, and advocacy of IHL.
Moreover, the ICRC works to provide protection and assistance to victims of both international and non-international armed conflicts, as well as during military occupations. This includes the promotion of IHL, addressing grievances, and offering direct support to civilians, such as visiting detainees, locating missing persons, restoring family links, and supplying essential resources such as food, water, and medical aid.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
References
International Committee of the Red Cross, The Free Encyclopedia, on the official website of the International Committee of the Red Cross: www.icrc.org
Said Salem Jweili, Implementation of International Humanitarian Law, Dar Al-Nahda Al-Arabiya, Cairo, 2003, pp. 230-231.
Learn about the International Committee of the Red Cross, April 2008, on the official website of the International Committee of the Red Cross: www.icrc.org
About the International Committee of the Red Cross, International Committee of the Red Cross, 1/1/2009, on the official website of the International Committee of the Red Cross: www.icrc.org
Article 2 of the Statutes of the International Committee of the Red Cross: "The Committee is established as an association governed by Article 60 and subsequent provisions of the Swiss Civil Code, and enjoys legal personality."
Said Salem Jweili, Op. Cit., pp. 239-240.
For the preamble of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement of 1986, see: Omar Saadallah, International Humanitarian Law, Documents and Opinions, Dar Majdalawi, Amman, Jordan, 1st ed., 2002, pp. 252-253.
Article 1 of the Statutes: "1- The International Committee of the Red Cross, established in 1863 and recognized by the Geneva Conventions and the International Red Cross Conferences, is an independent humanitarian institution with its own status. 2- The International Committee is a founding member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement."
Houba Abdelkader, International Protection of Journalists and the Media in Armed Conflict Zones, Master's Thesis, Faculty of Law, Batna University, 2008, pp. 128-129.
Pierre Krainbuhl, The ICRC’s Approach to Contemporary Security Challenges: The Future of Independent and Neutral Humanitarian Action, 31/03/2024, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Rokaya Aouachria, Protection of Civilians and Civilian Objects in Non-International Armed Conflicts, Doctoral Dissertation, Faculty of Law, Ain Shams University, 2001, p. 372.
Pierre Krainbuhl, The ICRC’s Approach to Contemporary Security Challenges: The Future of Independent and Neutral Humanitarian Action, 31/03/2004, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Raj Rana, Contemporary Challenges in the Civilian-Military Relationship: Integration or Incompatibility?, Selections from the International Review of the Red Cross, 2004.
International Committee of the Red Cross, The Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 9/12/2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Rokaya Aouachria, Op. Cit., p. 374. Article 4/7 of the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement: "The activities of the movement should cover the entire territory of the state."
International Committee of the Red Cross, The Fundamental Principles of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, 9/12/2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Omar Saadallah, Development of the Codification of International Humanitarian Law, p. 121.
Rokaya Aouachria, Op. Cit., p. 375.
Brini Abdelrahman, The Role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in the Development of International Humanitarian Law, Master's Thesis, University of Algiers, Faculty of Law, 2008, p. 110.
Brini Abdelrahman, Op. Cit., p. 111.
David Delabre, The International Committee of the Red Cross and International Humanitarian Law, Lectures on International Humanitarian Law, edited by Sherif Atlam, International Committee of the Red Cross Mission, 5th ed., 2005, p. 162.
Article 4/1(c) of the Statutes of the International Committee of the Red Cross: "To carry out the tasks assigned to it by the Geneva Conventions and to ensure the exact application of international humanitarian law in armed conflicts, including receiving complaints regarding any alleged violations of this law."
Rokaya Aouachria, Op. Cit., p. 378.
Brini Abdelrahman, Op. Cit., p. 112.
Fawzi Ousdik, The Principle of Intervention and Sovereignty: Why and How?, Dar Al-Kitab Al-Hadith, Algeria, 1999, p. 66.
Enhancing Respect for International Humanitarian Law in Non-International Armed Conflicts, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Learn about the International Committee of the Red Cross, April 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Frequently Asked Questions About the ICRC and Hostages in Gaza, 29/12/2023, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Women and War, International Review of the Red Cross, July 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Restoring Family Links, International Committee of the Red Cross, May 2009, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Learn About the International Committee of the Red Cross, April 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Samah Jaber Al-Beltaji, Protection of Civilians in Times of Armed Conflict, Dar Al-Fikr Al-Jami'i, Alexandria, no date, p. 124.
David Delabre, Op. Cit., p. 164.
Samah Jaber Al-Beltaji, Op. Cit., p. 126.
Activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross: Assistance (Water and Shelter), International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Mena Allah Mahmoud Ahmed, The Role of the International Committee of the Red Cross in Implementing the Rules of International Humanitarian Law, The Democratic Arab Center, 21/07/2022.
Learn About the International Committee of the Red Cross, April 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Activities of the International Committee of the Red Cross: (Health Services), International Committee of the Red Cross, 1st March 2005, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Learn About the International Committee of the Red Cross, April 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
Humanitarian Review, Issue 38, Winter 2006, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org
The Risk of Complete Medical Collapse Threatens Gaza Unless Immediate Action is Taken to Prevent It, Press Release, 24/01/2024, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org, as reported by William Schomberg, Sub-Delegation Head in Gaza, stating: "All hospitals in Gaza are suffering from extreme overcrowding and shrinking medical supplies, fuel, food, and water. Many of these hospitals are sheltering thousands of displaced families, and we are now at risk of losing two more hospitals due to the fighting. The cumulative impact of the conflict on the health system is devastating, and urgent steps must be taken to prevent further collapse."
Samah Jaber Al-Beltaji, Op. Cit., p. 125.
Women and War, International Review of the Red Cross, July 2008, International Committee of the Red Cross website: www.icrc.org