This project strengthens the ability of international and regional human rights mechanisms to take international humanitarian law (IHL) into account in a comprehensive and rigorous manner when confronted with armed conflict situations. It provides specialised IHL advice, guidance and analysis to a wide range of human rights bodies, including United Nations treaty bodies, regional human rights courts and the Special Procedures of the UN Human Rights Council.
Through targeted submissions, expert engagement and legal analysis, the IHL Expert Pool supports these mechanisms in interpreting their mandates consistently with IHL, improving protection for individuals and communities affected by armed conflict, and contributing to more harmonised approaches across the human rights system.
The project pursues three central objectives aimed at enhancing the integration of IHL within human rights mechanisms:
Strengthening IHL Expertise within Human Rights Bodies
The project provides expert legal advice to human rights treaty bodies, regional courts and Special Procedures to ensure that their assessments, recommendations and jurisprudence reflect relevant IHL obligations in situations of armed conflict.
Enhancing Coherence and Complementarity
The initiative works to foster greater consistency between IHL and international human rights law (IHRL) in the work of monitoring bodies, supporting a more coherent approach to protection during armed conflict and strengthening accountability.
Supporting Legal Developments and Standard-Setting
The IHL Expert Pool contributes to emerging normative debates and standard-setting processes by providing specialised input on the application of IHL within human rights frameworks, including in the drafting of General Comments, thematic reports and advisory opinions.
1. Support to the UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR) in its reflections and drafting process for the General Comment on the Application of the ICESCR in Situations of Armed Conflict, including expert briefings and written inputs.
2. Third-party intervention on behalf of the Geneva Academy in Ukraine and the Netherlands v. Russia before the European Court of Human Rights.
3. Submissions to several UN human rights mechanisms, including:
- Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances
- Advisory Committee of the Human Rights Council
- Special Rapporteur on the Right to Food
- Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries
- Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights
- Oversight Board of Meta
4. Expert engagement with the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture through dedicated meetings, legal discussions and advisory exchanges.
5. Drafting of the Swiss Confederation’s oral statement in the International Court of Justice advisory proceedings Legal Consequences arising from Israel’s Policies and Practices in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, delivered before the Court on 23 February 2024.
These outputs have contributed to shaping the interpretation of human rights obligations in armed conflict, strengthening accountability and improving protection for affected populations.
The project engaged in and organised a variety of expert meetings, consultations and high-level exchanges.
Expert Consultations
Closed-door legal discussions are held with UN Special Procedures, treaty body members and other human rights actors to clarify the relevance of IHL to their mandates and to address emerging questions arising from conflict situations.
Thematic Meetings
The team participates in specialised workshops and expert roundtables, including engagements with the UN Working Group on Enforced or Involuntary Disappearances and the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture, to explore complex intersections of IHL and human rights law.
Support to Normative Processes
The project contributes to ongoing standard-setting activities, including the drafting of General Comments, advisory opinions and thematic guidance documents on the application of IHL in human rights contexts.
The project is led and implemented by experts at the Geneva Academy with longstanding experience in IHL and international human rights law.
Francesco Romani, Research Fellow at the Geneva Academy, leads the IHL Expert Pool and provides specialised IHL advice across various human rights bodies.
Additional Geneva Academy researchers contribute to specific submissions, expert meetings and scholarly outputs.
This project was supported by Switzerland enabling the provision of specialised IHL expertise to human rights mechanisms, the organisation of expert consultations and the development of scholarly and policy outputs.