Event information

26 May 2020, 14:30-16:00

Generating Compliance with Humanitarian Norms: The Less-Explored Avenues

Event

Mali, Gao:  Gao region, Ansongo cercle, Tessit. ICRC dissemination session about international humanitarian law for an armed group. Mali, Gao:  Gao region, Ansongo cercle, Tessit. ICRC dissemination session about international humanitarian law for an armed group.

Clipboard01

Generating respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) and human rights law in times of armed conflict is at the top of humanitarian practitioners’ agenda and at the heart of legal scholarship. Traditionally, humanitarians have directly engaged parties to armed conflict in an effort to achieve the incorporation of humanitarian norms in the parties’ internal rules, training and accountability mechanisms. As this has had a limited effect, complementary avenues of compliance-generation are increasingly being sought.

The panelists in this online event, co-organized with the University of York Centre for Applied Human Rights, will discuss some such innovative approaches, exploring the interaction between IHL and Islamic law, the role of religious leaders as influencers of state and non-state parties to armed conflicts, the relationship between emotions and IHL, and civilians’ self-protection in territories under the control of armed groups.

MODERATION

  • Émilie Max, Researcher, Geneva Academy

PANELISTS

  • Emiliano Buis, Professor of International Law, University of Buenos Aires & Permanent researcher, Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas - CONICET
  • Ioana Cismas, Reader, York Law School and Centre for Applied Human Rights; Principal Investigator, Generating Respect for Humanitarian Norms: The Influence of Religious Leaders on Parties to Armed Conflict
  • Katharine Fortin, Assistant Professor, Netherlands Institute of Human Rights, Utrecht University; Principal investigator, Dangerous Liaisons: Civilian Agency, Armed Groups and International Law

How to Join the Discussion

Make sure you have created a Zoom account, if you haven’t yet, please create an account here.

Once you have created the account, please click register on the following link.

You will then automatically receive an email with the link to join the Webinar. On the day of the event, you will receive a reminder email, please select the link and you will be connected to the webinar.

If you are not sent to the meeting room but requested to download the app, just download it again (and if it doesn’t open the meeting, just re-click on the link).

Asking Questions to Panelists

Please use the chatbox to ask your questions, the moderator will make a selection of questions at the end of the presentations. There will be no possibility to interact by webcam and microphone in order to avoid connexion issues.

 Video

Generating Compliance with Humanitarian Norms: The Less-Explored Avenues

The panelists in this online event, co-organized with the University of York Centre for Applied Human Rights, explored the interaction between IHL and Islamic law, the role of religious leaders as influencers of state and non-state parties to armed conflicts, the relationship between emotions and IHL, and civilians’ self-protection in territories under the control of armed groups.

 

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

2024 Geneva Academy Annual Report News

Our 2024 Annual Report

28 July 2025

Our 2024 Annual Report highlights significant achievements in international humanitarian law education and research during a year marked by deepening global humanitarian crises.

Read more

disops News

Impact of digital disinformation unpacked in new research brief series

9 April 2025

Our new series of Research Briefs examine the impact of digital disinformation and potential solutions for its regulation

Read more

Warzone Event

Advanced IHL Seminar for Academics and Policymakers

25-29 August 2025, 09:00-17:30

Co-hosted with the ICRC, this event aims to enhance the capacity of academics to teach and research international humanitarian law, while also equipping policymakers with an in-depth understanding of ongoing legal debates.

Read more

A destroyed camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Khor Abeche, South Darfur, Project

Understanding the Relationship between Conflict, Security and the Human Right to a Clean, Healthy and Sustainable Environment

Started in May 2023

This project will develop guidance to inform security, human rights and environmental debates on the linkages between environmental rights and conflict, and how their better management can serve as a tool in conflict prevention, resilience and early warning.

Read more

A session of the UN Human Rights Council Project

IHL Expert Pool

Started in January 2022

The IHL-EP works to strengthen the capacity of human rights mechanisms to incorporate IHL into their work in an efficacious and comprehensive manner. By so doing, it aims to address the normative and practical challenges that human rights bodies encounter when dealing with cases in which IHL applies.

Read more

Cover of the 2023 Geneva Academy Annual Report Publication

Annual Report 2024

published on July 2025

Read more