Generating respect for the law by non-state armed groups: The ICRC’s role and activities

Abstract

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has a long experience working with non-State armed groups (NSAGs) in various contexts with the aim of generating respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) by those groups. This chapter discusses the legal bases for the ICRC’s work in that respect, concrete ways to integrate IHL into NSAGs’ practice, as well as recent developments. Some of the challenges faced by the ICRC in its work with NSAGs, such as how to take into account NSAGs practice into IHL clarification and development processes, and the risk of criminalizing humanitarian action and IHL dissemination activities with NSAGs by overbroad anti-terrorist legislation will also be tackled.