Event information

12 December 2019, 13:00-14:00

Downloads

Flyer >

Non-State Armed Groups and IHL

Event

Member of an armed group in Colombia Member of an armed group in Colombia

Side Event at the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent

Compliance with international humanitarian law (IHL) by non-State armed groups is a major challenge in today's armed conflicts. While it is accepted that NSAGs are bound by IHL, how they actually view and interpret their international obligations has remained insufficiently explored.

Considering this knowledge gap, Geneva Call and the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights have embarked into a research project that aims to increase our understanding of NSAGs’ behaviours in conflict settings in order to strengthen respect for IHL.

This side event at the 33rd International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, co-organized by the Geneva Academy and Geneva Call, will offer the opportunity to present this research project, its rationale and some of its preliminary findings.

Moderator

  • Verity Robson, Legal Counsellor, Permanent Mission of the United Kingdom to the United Nations and other International Organizations, Geneva

Panelists

  • Annyssa Bellal, Senior Research Fellow and Strategic Adviser on IHL, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
  • Pascal Bongard, Head of the Policy and Legal Unit, Geneva Call
  • Fiona Terry, Head of the Centre for Operational Research and Experience (the CORE), International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
  • James Munn, Director of Humanitarian Policy and Representative in Geneva, Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC)
  • Reka Dobri, Policy Officer, European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO)

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

IHL in Focus Spot Report News

Water Wars: How Sudan’s Conflict Weaponizes a Basic Human Need

4 August 2025

Our latest spot report explores how the targeting of water infrastructure is contributing to what is now considered the world’s largest humanitarian crisis, affecting 30 million people.

Read more

Geneva Academy at the EU DElegation in Geneva News

Spotlight on IHL: Geneva Academy Briefs EU Delegation on Alarming Conflict Trends

10 April 2025

Alarming conflict trends from the IHL in Focus report were presented to members of the UN at the EU Delegation in Geneva by members of the Geneva Academy.

Read more

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.

Read more

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.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more