Abstract
The authors examine the existing IHL rules and principles concerning the protections afforded to humanitarian workers and health care workers in armed conflict. They argue that for the effective protection of affected communities much more should be done by all those engaged in conflict including ending impunity for attacks on humanitarian relief workers and materiel, and medical personnel, supplies and facilities, as well as the encouragement of further debate and discussion on the topic.
Helen Durham is a Senior Fellow at Melbourne Law School and Head of International Law at Australian Red Cross. Phoebe Wynn-Pope is a Fellow at the Asia Pacific Centre of Military Law and a Humanitarian Advisor. The views expressed in this article are exclusively those of the authors’ and do not represent any institutional positions. The authors would like to acknowledge the significant assistance of Tim McFarland in preparing this article.
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Notes
- 1.
Murray et al. 2002, p. 346.
- 2.
Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies: Small Arms Study 2011.
- 3.
Ibid.
- 4.
Coghlan et al 2006, p. 44.
- 5.
- 6.
International Committee of the Red Cross 2011b.
- 7.
Ibid.
- 8.
The 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 2011.
- 9.
Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War, opened for signature 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 287 (entered into force 21 October 1950) (GC IV).
- 10.
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts (Protocol 1), opened for signature 8 June 1977, 1125 UNTS 3 (entered into force 7 December 1978) (AP I); Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts (Protocol II), opened for signature 8 June 1977, 1125 UNTS 609 (entered into force 7 December 1978) (AP II).
- 11.
- 12.
GC IV Article 55.
- 13.
AP I Article 69.
- 14.
For example longer term projects such as income generation and the re-building of the judiciary.
- 15.
- 16.
Ibid.
- 17.
Australian Civilian Corp 2011.
- 18.
- 19.
For further discussion on this topic see Fishstein and Wilder 2012.
- 20.
International Committee of the Red Cross 1998b.
- 21.
CISS 2001, para 1.40.
- 22.
Terry 2011.
- 23.
Henckaerts and Doswald-Beck 2009, p. 105.
- 24.
Ibid, p. 109.
- 25.
The equivalent provision is in article 9 of the other three 1949 Geneva Conventions.
- 26.
Pictet 1958, p. 95.
- 27.
AP I Article 54.
- 28.
Pictet 1958, p. 557.
- 29.
Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, opened for signature 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 135 (entered into force 21 October 1950).
- 30.
Pictet 1958, p. 560.
- 31.
GC IV Article 55.
- 32.
GC IV Articles 56, 58.
- 33.
Pictet 1958, p. 320.
- 34.
GC IV Article 63.
- 35.
ICRC 1987, p. 806.
- 36.
Tchanile 1989, p. 403.
- 37.
ICRC 1987, p. 806.
- 38.
Pictet 1958, p. 146.
- 39.
Pictet 1958, p. 146.
- 40.
AP I Article 71(4).
- 41.
Palwankar 1993, p. 231.
- 42.
Ibid.
- 43.
Boutros-Ghali 1992, para 68.
- 44.
GA Resolution 49/59 December 9, 1994.
- 45.
Opened for signature 15 December 1994, 2051 UNTS 363 (entered into force 15 January 1999).
- 46.
CSUNAP Article 1(b)(iii).
- 47.
Protocol on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Mines, Booby-Traps and Other Devices as amended on 3 May 1996, 2048 UNTS 93 (entered into force 3 December 1998).
- 48.
Opened for signature 10 April 1981, 1342 UNTS 137 (entered into force 2 December 1983).
- 49.
Article 1 paras 2, 3.
- 50.
International Committee of the Red Cross 1998a.
- 51.
On respect for security and safety of humanitarian relief personnel see, for example, UN SC Res 733 (1992) on Somalia, UN SC Res 1001 (1995) on the mandate of the UN Observer mission in Liberia, and UN SC Res 1203 (1998) on the situation in Kosovo. On respect for objects used for humanitarian relief operations see for example UN SC resolution 1075 and 1087 (1996) when the UN Security council called on all parties to the conflict in Angola to guarantee the safety of humanitarian supplies throughout the country.
- 52.
Opened for signature 17 July 1998, 2187 UNTS 3 (entered into force 1 July 2002) (Rome Statute).
- 53.
Humanitarian Practice Network 2010, p. 273.
- 54.
Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, opened for signature 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 31 (entered into force 21 October 1950) (GC I).
- 55.
Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, opened for signature 12 August 1949, 75 UNTS 85 (entered into force 21 October 1950) (GC II).
- 56.
AP I Article 8(c)(ii).
- 57.
ICRC Commentary, 125.
- 58.
See AP I Article 17.
- 59.
AP I Article 15.
- 60.
GC IV Article 20.
- 61.
GC I Article 18; AP I Articles 15,17; AP II Article 10.
- 62.
AP I Article 15; AP II Article 9.
- 63.
ICRC Commentary, 1478.
- 64.
GC I Article 12; GC II Article 12; GC Common Article 3; AP I Articles 9–10(2); AP II Article 7; CIHL rule 110.
- 65.
AP II Article 9(2).
- 66.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights, GA Res 217A (III), UN GAOR, 3rd session, 183rd plenary meeting, UN Doc A/810 (10 December 1948) (UDHR) Article 3.
- 67.
Cyprus v Turkey, Judgment 10 May 2001, No. 25781/94 ECHR 2001, paras 219–221.
- 68.
International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, opened for signature 16 December 1966, 993 UNTS 3 (entered into force 3 November 1976) (ICESCR) Article 12.2.
- 69.
Organization of African Unity, African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child, 11 July 1990, CAB/LEG/24.9/49 (1990).
- 70.
Opened for signature 20 November 1989, 1577 UNTS 3 (entered into force 2 September 1990).
- 71.
UNOHCHR/WHO 2008.
- 72.
UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights, General Comment No. 14: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Art. 12 of the Covenant), 11 August 2000, E/C.12/2000/4, para 34; International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination, opened for signature 21 December 1965, 660 UNTS 195 (entered into force 4 January 1969), Article 5(e)(iv).
- 73.
Opened for signature 16 December 1966, 999 UNTS 171 (entered into force 23 March 1976) (ICCPR).
- 74.
AP I Article 57(2).
- 75.
CIHL rule 17.
- 76.
AP I Articles 51(5)(b), 57(2)(a)(iii), CIHL rules 14, 18.
- 77.
AP I Article 51(4); CIHL rule 12.
- 78.
AP I Article 35(2); CIHL rule 70.
- 79.
GC I Article 22; GC II Article 5, GC IV Article19, AP I Article 13(2).
- 80.
Rome Statute Articles 8(2)(b)(ix), (xxiv).
- 81.
International Committee of the Red Cross 2011c.
- 82.
International Committee of the Red Cross 2011d.
- 83.
See http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/resolution/31-international-conference-resolution-5-2011.htm. The 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent 2011.
- 84.
International Committee of the Red Cross 2011a.
- 85.
International Committee of the Red Cross 2011b.
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Durham, H., Wynn-Pope, P. (2012). Protecting the ‘Helpers’: Humanitarians and Health Care Workers During Times of Armed Conflict. In: Schmitt, M., Arimatsu, L. (eds) Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law 2011 - Volume 14. Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law, vol 14. T.M.C. Asser Press, The Hague, The Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-6704-855-2_10
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