1 October 2024
During the 79th UN General Assembly Ministerial Week, the European Union along with the Kingdom of Belgium, organized a high-level side event on the obligation to respect and ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law (IHL), co-hosted by Indonesia, Jordan, and Mexico. Professor Gloria Gaggioli, former Director of the Geneva Academy and Professor at the Law Faculty, University of Geneva, was one of the speakers.
Violations of IHL are prevalent in many contemporary armed conflicts. These violations pose significant challenges to the centrality and universality of IHL, with many actors failing to respect or enforce its principles. The event sought to address these concerns by reaffirming the obligation of states to uphold and enforce IHL.
The discussion revolved around several key issues: challenges in ensuring accountability for IHL violations, the need for credible information on compliance, and the role of states and donors in advocating for the protection of civilians. Participants highlighted the importance of disseminating IHL knowledge among all conflict actors, enhancing humanitarian access, and prosecuting violations, particularly those affecting aid workers. Professor Gaggioli also presented the IHL in Focus project, outlining its objectives and methodology. Reflecting on the project's mission, she emphasised, ‘The IHL in Focus project seeks to provide accurate data and analysis to strengthen respect for IHL and ensure that states and humanitarian actors have the tools they need to better protect civilians in conflict zones.’
The panel aimed to raise awareness among Member States and the broader international community regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflict, stressing the collective responsibility to restore the centrality of IHL. In addition to Professor Gaggioli, speakers included notably:
The discussion was moderated by Ms Karin Landgren, Executive Director, Security Council Report.
Learn more about the IHL in Focus project here.
European Union Delegation to the United Nations in New York
Wikimedia
Each year, the Geneva Academy sends a team of students to the Jean-Pictet Competition. Participating in this leading moot court is a life-changing experience and an integral part of our programmes.
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In this Geneva Academy Talk Judge Lətif Hüseynov will discuss the challenges of inter-State cases under the ECHR, especially amid rising conflict-related applications.
ICRC
Co-hosted with the ICRC, this event aims to enhance the capacity of academics to teach and research international humanitarian law, while also equipping policymakers with an in-depth understanding of ongoing legal debates.
UN Photo/Violaine Martin
The IHL-EP works to strengthen the capacity of human rights mechanisms to incorporate IHL into their work in an efficacious and comprehensive manner. By so doing, it aims to address the normative and practical challenges that human rights bodies encounter when dealing with cases in which IHL applies.
The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). It is primarily a legal reference source for a broad audience, including non-specialists, interested in issues surrounding the classification of armed conflicts under IHL.