International Humanitarian Law (IHL)

International humanitarian law (IHL), as codified in particular in the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols and established through customary international law, regulates the conduct of armed conflicts.  The UK strategy is to work closely with other states and the Red Cross Movement to promote compliance with international humanitarian law and the treaties on which it is based and to call on states and armed groups who are parties to conflicts to respect it.

DFID provided £20 million in central funding to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 2012 in addition to the significant support the UK makes to the ICRC through individual country programmes.  In November, the Foreign Secretary met Peter Maurer, the new ICRC President, to reaffirm the UK’s commitment to cooperation with the ICRC and support for its essential humanitarian work.

In 2013, we will continue to work closely with the ICRC and the Red Cross Movement on their initiative on strengthening mechanisms for compliance with international humanitarian law.