IHL in Focus

Assessing Compliance in Contemporary Armed Conflicts

Started in January 2024

This project aims to become the world’s leading source of data and analysis on current armed conflicts and related IHL violations and implementation challenges.

As a yearly publication, it keeps decision-makers, practitioners and scholars up-to-date with the latest trends and challenges in IHL implementation in over 100 armed conflicts worldwide – both international and non-international. Spot reports produced throughout the year complement this global analysis by shedding light on specific situations, trends or IHL violations that deserve immediate attention.

The first global report is scheduled for release in the fall of 2024 and will be followed by a series of spot reports before the publication of the subsequent edition.

This project builds on our Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts (RULAC) online database that qualifies situations of armed violence using the definition of armed conflict under international humanitarian law.

NEWS AND UPCOMING EVENTS

UN 79th General Assembly Side Event News

IHL at the Centre of High-Level Event at the 79th UN General Assembly

1 October 2024

During the 79th UN General Assembly Ministerial Week a high-level side event on the obligation to respect and ensure respect for International Humanitarian Law took place.

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IHL in Focus Launch Meeting News

Opening Expert Meeting For 'IHL in Focus' Project

22 April 2024

To kick-start the activities of the 'IHL in Focus' project and refine its approach, a two-day expert meeting of representative practitioners and scholars from different disciplines was convened.

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Panel panel ‘(Dis)respecting International Humanitarian Law in today’s armed conflicts: monitoring and reporting’ at the 2024 European Humanitarian Forum News

IHL in Focus Featured at the 2024 European Humanitarian Forum

25 March 2024

Our new research project IHL in Focus – launched at the beginning of the year – has been presented and discussed at the 2024 European Humanitarian Forum, a major yearly event convened by the European Union focusing on prominent humanitarian issues and challenges.

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RESEARCHERS

Picture of Gloria Gaggioli

Gloria Gaggioli

Former Director of the Geneva Academy and Associate/SNF Professor at the Law Faculty, University of Geneva

Gloria Gaggioli is a renowned scholar in international humanitarian law and human rights and has published widely in various fields of public international law.

Portrait of Maud Bonnet

Maud Bonnet

Executive Director

Maud Bonnet is the Executive Director at the Geneva Academy.

Portrait of Dr Erica Harper

Erica Harper

Head of Research and Policy Studies

Erica Harper is a practitioner-academic specializing in international criminal law, human rights law and post-conflict governance.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

LLM Students News

LLM Students Address IHL Issues Arising from the 2008 Armed Conflict in South Ossetia

16 May 2024

Students from our LLM in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights took part in a pleading exercise on the 2008 South Ossetia armed conflict between Russia and Georgia.

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ukraine conflict News

New Research Brief examines the transitional justice initiatives currently unfolding in Ukraine

7 October 2024

Our latest research brief, 'Navigating Pathways Toward Transitional Justice in Ukraine' examines the initiatives currently unfolding in Ukraine and assesses how they can lead to a holistic transitional justice process.

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ministère de la défense Event

Implementing international law in contemporary military operations: Lessons learned and perspectives

17 October 2024, 18:15-20:00

This Military Briefing will discuss NATO's protection of civilians military frameworks and explore some of the current military and legal challenges connected to the operationalization of PoC efforts.

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Short Course

The Law of Non-International Armed Conflicts

6-21 February 2025

This online short course discusses the protection offered by international humanitarian law (IHL) in non-international armed conflicts (NIACs) and addresses some problems and controversies specific to IHL of NIACs, including the difficulty to ensure the respect of IHL by armed non-state actors.

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Yemen,  Sana'a, Faj Attan district. Destruction. Short Course

The Rules Governing the Use of Force in International Law

14-23 May 2025

This online short course provides an overview of the content and evolution of the rules governing the use of unilateral force in international law, including military intervention on humanitarian grounds and the fight against international terrorism. It focuses on the practice of states and international organizations.

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A destroyed camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, Project

Understanding the Relationship between Conflict, Security and the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Started in May 2023

This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.

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A session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

IHL Expert Pool

Started in January 2022

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.

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Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2023

published on July 2024

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