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The well-trodden path of national international humanitarian law committees

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 June 2022

Rachael Kitching  and
Anne Quintin
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Abstract

The road towards effective implementation of international humanitarian law (IHL) is a continuous process where important milestones will be reached at each step. As part of such a process, national committees and similar entities on IHL have played a key driving role. As with most long-haul road trips, one tends to start with an idea of the roads that will be taken and what the end destination will look like. In this case, the common destination is better respect for IHL. While the destination never changes, the different roads to be travelled can multiply, creating new opportunities through events that arise, and actors encountered along the way. Likewise, when the first national IHL committees were formed in the 1970s to advise and assist their States on the domestic implementation of IHL, they undoubtedly followed different roadmaps from those followed today. As IHL has evolved to keep pace with new realities of warfare, so too has the work of national IHL committees. New treaties have been adopted, new interpretations have been agreed upon, requiring new domestic laws and measures. This article will begin by pinpointing where exactly the journey started for national IHL committees, highlighting that the creation of these bodies coincided with important developments across the international landscape which would come to reinforce domestic implementation of IHL. In the second section, the authors will provide a detailed mapping of the roads generally travelled by these entities, with the intention to showcase the multi-faceted nature of their work and the innumerable milestones achieved along the way. The final section will explore the material, political and structural road bumps which are slowing down the work of some national IHL committees and will provide recommendations on how these entities may overcome these hurdles.

Keywords

international humanitarian lawnational IHL committeesIHL implementationcoordination of IHL implementationdomestic implementation of IHLdomestic lawdrafting of law
Type
Research Article
Information
International Review of the Red Cross , Volume 104 , Issue 920-921: How International Humanitarian Law Develops , August 2022 , pp. 1989 - 2012
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the ICRC.

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References

1 For information on the meaning of this provision, please visit: International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), Updated Commentary on Article 1 Common to the Four Geneva Conventions, 2020, available at: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/vwTreaties1949.xsp (all internet references were accessed in May 2022).

2 For a full list of national IHL committees across the world, see ICRC, “Table of National Committees and Other National Bodies on International Humanitarian Law”, 26 April 2022, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/table-national-committees-and-other-national-bodies-international-humanitarian-law.

3 ICRC, National Committees and Similar Entities on International Humanitarian Law: Guidelines for Success – Towards Respecting and Implementing International Humanitarian Law, Publication Ref. 4367, 2019, p. 14, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/publication/national-committees-and-similar-entities-international-humanitarian-law-guidelines-1.

4 This typically includes the defence, justice, foreign affairs, interior, culture, health and education ministries/departments, plus others as relevant.

5 ICRC, above note 3, pp. 29–36; ICRC, Bringing IHL Home: Guidelines on the National Implementation of International Humanitarian Law, 19 July 2021, p. 19, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/bringing-ihl-home-guidelines-national-implementation-international-humanitarian-law.

6 German Red Cross, “National Committee on International Humanitarian Law: Mandate and Legal Basis”, available at: https://www.drk.de/en/the-grc/mission-of-the-grc/national-committee-on-international-humanitarian-law/.

7 ICRC, above note 2. At the time of publication of this article, the ICRC has listed three States that have two national IHL committees (Italy, Poland and Sweden).

8 Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, “Document de travail établi par le gouvernement suisse sur la base des neuf recommandations issues d'une réunion préparatoire tenue à Genève (26–28 septembre 1994)”, March 1995, available at: https://international-review.icrc.org/fr/articles/document-de-travail-etabli-par-le-gouvernement-suisse-sur-la-base-des-neuf-recommandations.

9 Revue Internationale de la Croix-Rouge, “Réunion du Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental pour la protection des victimes de la guerre (Genève, 23–27 janvier 1995), Recommandations”, March 1995, available at: https://international-review.icrc.org/fr/articles/reunion-du-groupe-dexperts-intergouvernemental-pour-la-protection-des-victimes-de-la-0, pp. 37 and 39. See also International Humanitarian Law: From Law to Action: Report on the Follow Up to the International Conference for the Protection of War Victims: Report of the President of the Intergovernmental Group of Experts for the Protection of War Victims (Geneva, 23-27 January 1995): Commission I: War Victims and Respect for International Humanitarian Law (Item 2 on the Provisional Agenda), Geneva, 1995, available at: https://library.icrc.org/library/docs/CI/CI_1995_140_ENG_146.pdf.

10 Ibid., p. 14.

11 Ibid., p. 14.

12 Information from the ICRC's Archives, available upon request.

13 ICRC, “26th International Conference 1995: Resolution 1”, Resolution, 7 December 1995, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/doc/resources/documents/resolution/26-international-conference-resolution-1-1995.htm.

14 For instance, national IHL committees were mentioned during the 27th International Conference of 1999 (Annex 2 of Resolution 2), the 30th International Conference of 2007, the 31st International Conference of 2011 (Resolution 2), and the 33rd International Conference of 2019 (Resolution 1).

15 ICRC, “National Implementation of IHL: Documentation”, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/ihl-domestic-law/documentation.

16 ICRC, “National Committees”, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/war-and-law/ihl-domestic-law/national-committees.

17 Legal compatibility studies aim at assessing the harmony between the international legal obligations that are binding on the State and the corresponding laws, regulations, doctrines or mechanisms that have been adopted or established within the domestic legal system.

18 See for instance: ICRC, Domestic Implementation of International Humanitarian Law Prohibiting Sexual Violence: A Checklist for States and the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, 2020Google Scholar; ICRC, Protecting Health Care from Violence: Legislative Checklist, 2021Google Scholar; ICRC, Domestic Measures to Implement the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, 2020Google Scholar; ICRC, Checklist: Domestic Measures to Implement the Convention on Cluster Munitions, 2020Google Scholar.

19 Motivations include, first and foremost, a desire to enhance protection for those affected by armed conflict, as well as political or organizational interests, such as a desire to join global or regional discussions on IHL implementation or ensuring better coordination among various internal stakeholders.

20 Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction (Ottawa Convention).

21 Article 9 of the Ottawa Convention describes the national implementation measures which should be adopted by State parties. For more information on the creation of the Comisión Nacional de Estudio y Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CONADIH), please see: “Intervencion del Peru en el tema 11 (e) iii Prevencion v suppression de las actividades prohibidas v facilitacion del cumplimiento”, available at: https://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:ciTrHrEC6oQJ:https://www.apminebanconvention.org/fileadmin/pdf/other_languages/spanish/MBC/MSP/7MSP/update_day_4/Peru_compliance_7MSP_21Sep06_s.pdf+&cd=1&hl=de&ct=clnk&gl=ch.

22 “Intervencion del Peru en el tema 11 (e) iii”, ibid.

23 Peru had reportedly cleared a total of 170,000m2 of mined area and destroyed 9265 mines over the five years prior. For more information on Peru's demining actions, please see: IHL in Action, “Peru, Demining Action”, 2016, available at: https://ihl-in-action.icrc.org/case-study/peru-demining-action.

24 Red Cross Red Crescent Conference, 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent: Bringing IHL Home: A Road Map for Better National Implementation of International Humanitarian Law, Background Document, Geneva, October 2019, p. 2, available at: https://rcrcconference.org/app/uploads/2019/10/33IC-Background-document-on-IHL_EN.pdf.

25 ICRC, above note 3, pp. 53 and 54.

26 A model legal compatibility study is available at ICRC, above note 3, pp. 72 and 73.

27 ICRC, above note 3, p. 53.

28 For example, local academics in Tunisia have helped to conduct legal compatibility studies concerning national protections afforded for missing persons.

29 For example, in 2019, the national IHL committees of Belarus, Georgia, Kyrgyzstan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, Egypt, Morocco and Bangladesh reported that they had each created their respective plan of action. The ICRC has created a “model plan of action” which is available at ICRC, above note 3, pp. 74 and 75.

30 This information is contained in Burkina Faso's voluntary report of 2018, at p. 33. This voluntary report is on file with the ICRC's Advisory Service and, with the consent of the national authorities of Burkina Faso, may be shared on demand. Please email GVA_advisoryservice@icrc.org with such requests.

31 UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs & International Cooperation, “National Committee for International Humanitarian Law Launches 2021–2022 Action Plan”, 22 April 2021, available at: https://mofaic.gov.ae/en/mediahub/news/2021/4/21/22-04-2021-uae-plan.

32 This information is contained in Burkina Faso's voluntary report of 2018, see above note 30, p. 35.

33 To view the plan of action created during the ECOWAS–ICRC Annual Review Meeting of 2018, see ICRC, Implementing IHL in West Africa: Participation of West African Countries in International Humanitarian Law Treaties and their National Implementation, 18 September 2019, pp. 57–68, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/implementing-ihl-west-africa-redux.

34 ICRC, above note 3, pp. 54 and 57.

35 For information on the State Parties, see: ICRC, “Treaties, States Parties and Commentaries”, Database, available at: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/vwTreaties1949.xsp.

36 Ibid.

37 For a more comprehensive list of major IHL treaties, see ICRC, “What Treaties Make up International Humanitarian Law?”, 2017, available at: https://blogs.icrc.org/ilot/2017/08/07/treaties-make-international-humanitarian-law/.

38 ICRC, above note 5, Bringing IHL Home, p. 21.

39 ICRC, “Fifth Universal Meeting of National Committees and Similar Entities on International Humanitarian Law”, Report, 26 January 2022, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/fifth-universal-meeting-national-committees.

40 ICRC, Implementing IHL: Participation of the American States in IHL Treaties and their National Implementation – 2016/2017 Report, 19 December 2018, p. 46, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/publication/ihl-participation-american-states-ihl-treaties-national-implementation-2016-2017.

41 Mexico, Ley para el uso y proteccion de la denominacion y del emblema de la cruz roja, 23 March 2007, available at: http://www.diputados.gob.mx/LeyesBiblio/pdf/LUPDECR.pdf, as cited in: Oscar G. Macias Betancourt, “Implementation of International Humanitarian Law: The Work of Latin American International Humanitarian Law Committees”, International Review of the Red Cross, 11 February 2022, p. 12, available at: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-review-of-the-red-cross/article/implementation-of-international-humanitarian-law-the-work-of-latin-american-international-humanitarian-law-committees/5969B213F95B106AD46119FAB241C9DF.

42 ICRC, above note 3, p. 15.

43 Croatia, The Law on Persons Who Went Missing in the Homeland War (1991–1995), Official Gazette of the Croatian Republic, No. 70/19, July 2019, available at: https://www.zakon.hr/z/2123/Zakon-o-osobama-nestalim-u-Domovinskom-ratu.

44 This advisory role is sometimes highlighted in the founding documents of national IHL committees, as observed for some Latin American national IHL committees. See O. G. M. Betancourt, above note 41.

45 Commission Nationale Consultative des Droits de l'Homme (CNCDH), “Publications”, available at: https://www.cncdh.fr/fr/publications.

46 CNCDH, “Avis sur l'utilisation d'armes chimiques notamment dans le conflit Iran-Irak”, 15 September 1988, available at: https://www.cncdh.fr/fr/publications/avis-sur-lutilisation-darmes-chimiques-notamment-dans-le-conflit-iran-irak.

47 CNCDH, “Déclaration ‘Armes explosives en zones peuplées : déclaration pour un engagement politique ambitieux à la hauteur des enjeux humanitaires’”, 24 June 2021, available at: https://www.cncdh.fr/fr/publications/declaration-armes-explosives-en-zones-peuplees-declaration-pour-un-engagement-politique.

48 CNCDH, “Publications”, available at: https://www.cncdh.fr/fr/publications/transfert%2520d%2527armes?retain-filters=1.

49 CNCDH, “Avis sur le projet de Traité sur le commerce des armes 21 février”, 18 March 2013, available at: https://www.cncdh.fr/fr/publications/avis-sur-le-projet-de-traite-sur-le-commerce-des-armes-21-fevrier.

50 ICRC, above note 3, p. 27.

51 Red Cross Red Crescent Conference, “Promotion and Dissemination of International Humanitarian Law”, Pledge, 29 November 2019, available at: https://rcrcconference.org/pledge/promotion-and-dissemination-of-international-humanitarian-law-2/.

52 ICRC, above note 3, p. 27; ICRC, above note 40, p. 46.

53 ICRC, “Nepal: Humanitarian Law Handbook Ready for Launch”, News Release, 16 March 2015, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/nepal-humanitarian-law-handbook-ready-launch.

54 For example, in 2019, the national IHL committees of the following countries had reported such dissemination activities: Algeria, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Jordan, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Malaysia, Mauritius, Morocco, Nepal, Peru, Saudi Arabia, Syria and the UAE. “The task of dissemination is a legal obligation under the Geneva Conventions, and its inclusion was based on the conviction of the drafters that knowledge of the law is an essential condition for its effective application. While it is now recognized that knowledge of the law alone will not prevent violations, spreading knowledge of the law is understood to be an ‘important element of any strategy aimed at creating an environment conducive to lawful behaviour’.” ICRC, Updated Commentary to the First Geneva Convention, Article 47: Dissemination of the Convention, 2016, para. 2750, available at: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/applic/ihl/ihl.nsf/Comment.xsp?action=openDocument&documentId=E925A7160C083CC9C1257F15004A58D9.

55 ICRC, above note 3, p. 18.

56 ICRC, above note 40, p. 39.

57 ICRC, above note 3, pp. 17–18.

58 ICRC, above note 3, p. 56.

59 ICRC, above note 3, p. 55.

60 ICRC, above note 40, p. 45.

61 ICRC, above note 3, p. 55.

62 ICRC, above note 3, p. 56.

63 ICRC, “Report – Fifth Meeting of Representatives of National IHL Committees of Commonwealth Countries”, 12 July 2021, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/fifth-meeting-representatives-national-ihl-committees-commonwealth-countries-report.

64 ICRC, above note 40, p. 44; ICRC, “Ecuador: Regional Meeting of National Committees on IHL and Other Similar Entities of the Americas”, 24 February 2021, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/ecuador-americas-regional-meeting-between-national-committees-and-similar-bodies-ihl.

65 Red Cross Red Crescent Conference, “Strengthening Implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by the 19th Southern African and Indian Ocean Island States Regional Seminar”, Pledge, 19 March 2020, available at: https://rcrcconference.org/fr/pledge/strengthening-implementation-of-international-humanitarian-law-ihl-by-the-19th-southern-african-and-indian-ocean-island-states-regional-seminar/.

66 Dhaka Tribune, “Discussion to Implement International Humanitarian Law Held”, 15 December 2019, available at: https://archive.dhakatribune.com/bangladesh/2019/12/15/discussion-to-implement-international-humanitarian-law-held.

67 ICRC, above note 64, “Ecuador: Regional Meeting”.

68 Organization of American States (OAS), “Declaration of the ‘Regional Meeting of National Committees on International Humanitarian Law and Other Similar Entities of the Americas’”, 5 February 2021, available at: http://www.oas.org/en/sla/dil/docs/declaration_regional_meeting_of_national_committees_on_ihl_of_the_americas_2021.pdf.

69 ICRC, above note 33.

70 Kingdom of Morocco, “National Commission on International Humanitarian Law and Kuwaiti Counterpart Sign MoU”, News, 15 January 2020, available at: https://www.maroc.ma/en/news/national-commission-international-humanitarian-law-and-kuwaiti-counterpart-sign-mou.

71 Any national IHL committee who wishes to be a member of this online community may email the ICRC's Advisory Service on IHL at: GVA_advisoryservice@icrc.org.

72 Above note 68, p. 2.

73 ICRC, above note 3, p. 22.

74 ICRC, above note 3, p. 23.

75 ICRC, above note 40, p. 45.

76 ICRC, above note 3, p. 27.

77 For the voluntary report of the United Kingdom, see United Kingdom Government, Voluntary Report on the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law at Domestic Level, 2019, available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/784696/Voluntary_Report_on_the_Implementation_of_International_Humanitarian_Law_at_Domestic_Level.pdf.

78 The voluntary report of Burkina Faso is on file with the ICRC and can be shared on request, with the consent of the national IHL committee of Burkina Faso. See above note 30.

79 The voluntary report of Niger is on file with the ICRC and can be shared on request, with the consent of the national IHL committee of Niger.

80 For the voluntary report of Switzerland, see Federal Council, The Implementation of International Humanitarian Law by Switzerland: Voluntary Report of the Federal Council, 12 August 2020, available at: https://www.eda.admin.ch/dam/eda/en/documents/aussenpolitik/voelkerrecht/20200812-HVR-Bericht_EN.pdf.

81 For the voluntary report of Germany, see Dt. Komitee zum Humanitären Völkerrecht (German Committee on International Humanitarian Law), National Implementation of International Humanitarian Law: Document on the Implementation of IHL in the German Legal System, available at: https://www.nomos-elibrary.de/10.5771/9783748921103.pdf?download_full_pdf=1.

82 The voluntary report of Bulgaria is available at: https://www.mfa.bg/upload/54920/%D0%9F%D0%A0%D0%95%D0%93%D0%9B%D0%95%D0%94%D0%98%D0%9E%D0%A6%D0%95%D0%9D%D0%9A%D0%90_%D0%9C%D0%A5%D0%9F.pdf.

83 For the voluntary report of Romania, see Government of Romania, Voluntary Report on the Implementation of International Humanitarian Law at Domestic Level, 2021, available at: https://www.mae.ro/sites/default/files/file/anul_2021/2021_pdf/raport_diu_eng.pdf.

84 ICRC, above note 39.

85 ICRC, above note 3, p. 21. For the database on the national implementation of IHL, see ICRC, “National Implementation of IHL”, available at: https://ihl-databases.icrc.org/ihl-nat.

86 The Universal Meetings have taken place in 2002, 2007, 2010, 2016 and 2021. See ICRC, above note 39.

87 OAS, above note 68, p. 2.

88 ICRC, above note 3, p. 42.

89 ICRC, “Enhancing Protection in Armed Conflict through Domestic Law and Policy”, 6 December 2017, p. 7, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/document/enhancing-protection-armed-conflict-throughdomestic-law-and-policy-overview-report.

90 ICRC, above note 33, p. 7.

91 ICRC, above note 33, p. 8.

92 ICRC, above note 33, p. 8.

93 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

94 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

95 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

96 ICRC, above note 33, p. 8.

97 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

98 ICRC, Enhancing Protection in Armed Conflict Through Domestic Law and Policy: Conference Overview: 30 November–2 December 2016, Report, Geneva, p. 80, available at: https://www.icrc.org/en/publication/enhancing-protection-armed-conflict-through-domestic-law-and-policy.

99 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

100 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

101 ICRC, above note 33, p. 15.

102 ICRC, above note 3, p. 38.

103 ICRC, above note 3, p. 38.

104 ICRC, above note 3, p. 38.

105 Ministerio de Justicia y Derechos Humanos, “CONADIH”, available at: https://www.minjus.gob.pe/conadih/.

106 El Peruano, Justicia y Derechos Humanos, Decreto Supremo, No. 006-2021-JUS, 13 May 2021, available at: https://busquedas.elperuano.pe/normaslegales/decreto-supremo-que-adecua-la-comision-nacional-de-estudio-y-decreto-supremo-n-006-2021-jus-1952568-8/.

107 The Supreme Decree preserved the existing membership of the Congress, the Ombudsman Office, institutions which are not part of the executive branch, as well as non-State institutions.

108 New responsibilities of Peru's national IHL committee include: the act of advising the government on topics related to IHL, monitoring State obligations within IHL, drafting reports summarizing IHL initiatives implemented in Peru, and working on IHL and IHRL standards regarding the use of force. For more information, see El Peruano, above note 106.

109 ICRC, above note 3, p. 38.

110 ICRC, above note 3, p. 39.

111 ICRC, above note 3, p. 49.

112 ICRC, above note 3, p. 49.