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Protecting civilians

According to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, civilians and all persons not taking part in combat may under no circumstances be the object of attack and must be spared and protected. In fact, however, this principle has been undermined, because the civilian population, particularly since the Second World War, has suffered most of the consequences of armed violence. Read full overview

Highlights

Selected Activities

  • Children and the ravages of war

    ICRC child protection adviser, Kristin Barstad, talks about the plight of children during war and what the organization does to protect and assist them.


  • Internally displaced people: facing up to the challenges

    Displacement due to armed conflict uproots people from their normal lives, often inflicting untold suffering on them. Angela Gussing, ICRC Deputy Director of Operations, discusses the challenges faced by internally displaced people (IDPs).


  • Missing persons: a major humanitarian concern

    Families of missing persons suffer greatly owing to uncertainty about the fate of their loved ones who have disappeared as a result of armed conflicts or internal violence. Morris Tidball-Binz, an ICRC forensic doctor, talks about the role of forensics in clarifying the fate of missing persons.


  • Las Cruces, Nariño department. María Elena lost her arm to a bullet as she lay next to her baby. Women and war: the ICRC's response

    Deeply concerned about the nature and magnitude of the violations committed against women during conflicts, the ICRC pledged in 1999 to assess the needs of women and girls and to promote respect for them, with a particular focus on sexual violence.


Reference documents

In images More images

Publications More publications

International Review of the Red Cross More articles

Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine

  • Red Cross Red Crescent Magazine Haiti: the great leveller

    Vulnerability takes on new meaning as the massive urban disaster strikes at the heart of Haiti’s middle class.


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