A recent edition of the International Review of the Red Cross dedicated its content to examining a seemingly simple question: ‘How does international humanitarian law develop?’, touching upon the history of international humanitarian law (IHL), its current status and future prospects. In this week’s episode of Humanity in War, podcast host Elizabeth Rushing unpacks these... The post How does international humanitarian law develop? appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

The landmark Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW) enters into force on Friday, 22 January 2021 as a new instrument of international humanitarian law. In this Q&A – interlaced with the testimonies of survivors of past atomic bombings (hibakusha) – the President of the ICRC, Peter Maurer, and the President of the Japanese... The post A victory for humanity appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

As the world grapples with new security challenges, it is pertinent now more than ever for global leaders to uphold the rules and principles of international humanitarian law in ensuring that weapons with catastrophic humanitarian consequences, such as nuclear weapons, are eliminated from the earth. In this post, Fatima Alkali, an Associate Professor of international... The post A world free from nuclear weapons: a call to action from Nigeria appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

The testimonies of the victims and survivors of nuclear weapons prompt us to imagine the unimaginable, think the unthinkable and give voice to the unspeakable suffering caused by atomic bombs. Marking 75 years this week since the bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Magnus Løvold, Policy Adviser in the Arms Unit of the ICRC’s Legal Division,... The post An unnecessary evil: the discursive battle over the meaning of nuclear weapons appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons, adopted in July 2017, is the first legally binding international agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons, aimed at their eventual total elimination. On the second anniversary of the treaty, and 74 years after the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945, I had the opportunity... The post Courage, responsibility and the path towards a world without nuclear weapons: a message to youth appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

In the heart of the Cold War, nuclear weapons were the central issue of international peace and security debates, with a devastating nuclear war considered a realistic possibility. After several decades that saw the rise of threats such as terrorism and transnational organized crime, the nuclear risk is returning to the frontline of considerations, fueled... The post A global ban on nuclear weapons: Are we there yet? appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

Vincent Bernard is the editor in chief of the International Review of the Red Cross. This article is an adaptation of his editorial for The evolution of warfare, and is the first instalment of a blog series on the history of armed conflict and humanitarian action.   We are living through an age of pessimism.... The post Are we living through the worst period in history? appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

Outer space is becoming an arena for technological shows of force – whether by deployment of spy satellites or testing of weapons. What does international space law have to say on the militarization of space? In this three-post series, Pavle Kilibarda attempts a broader interpretation of the norms, one that would lead to a more... The post Space law revisited (2/3): Are weapons of mass destruction prohibited in space? appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

Selected passages from Professor Tilman Ruff’s speech, delivered at the Australian launch of The human cost of nuclear weapons, Melbourne, 10 October 2016. I am pleased to be invited to help launch the special 2016 issue of the International Review of the Red Cross on the human cost of nuclear weapons. I understand that this... The post “The contamination from nuclear test explosions is in every one of our bodies” appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more

The ICRC’s latest e-briefing exposes the catastrophic humanitarian consequences of nuclear weapons. It is being issued just as the international community discusses towards a treaty to prohibit nuclear weapons. Enter the e-briefing Read the Review on nuclear weapons The unconscionable effects of nuclear weapons have been known to the world since the atomic bombings of... The post e-Briefing: The human cost of nuclear weapons appeared first on Humanitarian Law & Policy Blog ..read more