22 June 2018, 10:30-12:00
Event
UN Photo/Isaac Billy
The rise of armed non-state actors (ANSAs) in contemporary conflicts and situations of violence and their great impact on human rights calls for increased and specific attention from states and international organizations. ANSAs growing influence is a general trend. Some of these actors control territory and persons for a prolonged time, often without access by any human rights monitoring mechanisms.
While international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) share certain common objectives, they differ in their scopes of application. IHRL apply at all times, while IHL applies only in cases of armed conflict. ANSAs, which are party to a conflict, are subject to the obligations imposed by IHL. However, less legal clarity exists, as to which extent they are also legally bound to respect human rights in situations that are not covered by IHL or where IHL does not provide adequate guidance on how to address a situation which is human rights relevant.
Up to now, it is still unclear and difficult to establish whether ANSAs’ IHRL obligations are anchored in some form of law or practice, as could be gathered from the analysis of the resolutions adopted by the UN General Assembly, the UN Security Council and the Human Rights Council. The issue of accountability and reparation for human rights violations committed by ANSAs is also a critical point of the debate.
This side event, co-organized with Agnes Callamard, Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions will discuss this issues in light of her latest report Armed Non-State Actors: The Protection of the Right to Life.
We do not take specific registration for this event, which is open to everyone who has access to the Palais des Nations.
Geneva Academy
The Geneva Human Rights Platform has taken its work on strengthening the international human rights system to the heart of European policymaking.
Adobe
Our recent research brief series explores how the United Nations' human rights system can enhance its role in early warning and conflict prevention.
Wikimedia
This evening dialogue will present the publication: International Human Rights Law: A Treatise, Cambridge University Press (2025).
Adobe Stock
This side event will bring together stakeholders to discuss the growing concerning recurrence to short-term enforced disappearances worldwide, the challenges they pose for victims and accountability, and the preventive measures that States mu
UN Photo / Jean-Marc Ferré
This training course will explore the origin and evolution of the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) and its functioning in Geneva and will focus on the nature of implementation of the UPR recommendations at the national level.
Shutterstock
This project will explore humanitarian consequences and protection needs caused by the digitalization of armed conflicts and the extent to which these needs are addressed by international law, especially international humanitarian law.
CCPR Centre
The Geneva Human Rights Platform collaborates with a series of actors to reflect on the implementation of international human rights norms at the local level and propose solutions to improve uptake of recommendations and decisions taken by Geneva-based human rights bodies at the local level.