This report consists mainly of a country-by-country summary of measures adopted by governments to implement international humanitarian law. It sets out the extent of each State's participation in humanitarian law treaties, specifies the implementing legislation adopted and indicates whether a national committee on that body of law exists and, if so, what it has accomplished.

The report also describes in brief some of the activities carried out by the Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law, such as cooperation with other organizations and the holding of national, regional and global workshops and seminars. It presents the Advisory Service database and contains a list of the Service's publications and documents.

The report is published every two years.