IHL in Focus

November 2023 - Present

IHL in Focus is a flagship research project of the Geneva Academy providing legal analysis of harm suffered by civilians in situations of armed conflict. It examines patterns of civilian harm through the lens of international humanitarian law (IHL), with a focus on the conduct of conflict actors and their compliance with applicable legal obligations.

IHL in Focus forms an integral part of the Geneva Academy’s broader research on armed conflicts and the protection of civilians. Its analysis is grounded in the legal classification of armed conflicts developed within Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts (RULAC) and is fully integrated into War
WATCH, the Geneva Academy’s platform for the worldwide assessment of civilian harm and the
application of IHL.

By combining legal analysis with contextualised information on civilian harm, IHL in Focus contributes to legal clarity, supports accountability processes, and informs humanitarian, diplomatic, and policy responses to armed violence.

IHL in Focus analyses civilian harm in armed conflicts within the framework of international humanitarian law. It examines how core IHL rules governing the conduct of hostilities and the protection of civilians apply in specific conflict contexts, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, precautions in attack, and the protection of civilian objects.

The project’s assessments are anchored in the legal qualification of armed conflicts and the identification of applicable legal regimes under RULAC, ensuring that analysis of civilian harm is grounded in a clear and consistent normative framework.

IHL in Focus applies a legally driven and context-sensitive methodology to the assessment of civilian harm. It combines qualitative legal analysis with structured information on incidents, patterns of harm, and conflict dynamics, drawing on a range of credible and publicly available sources.

The project follows a country-based approach aligned with War WATCH. For each country affected by armed conflict, IHL in Focus assesses civilian harm in light of the applicable legal framework, allowing for longitudinal analysis and comparison over time. Legal assessments are reviewed and updated as situations evolve and new information becomes available.

All IHL in Focus analyses are published through War WATCH, where they are presented alongside RULAC’s legal classifications of armed conflicts. This integration enables users to navigate seamlessly between conflict qualification, civilian-harm assessment, and broader IHL-compliance analysis within a single analytical environment.

IHL in Focus also produces thematic and comparative legal outputs addressing recurring patterns of civilian harm and key legal challenges in contemporary armed conflicts. These outputs complement the country-based entries available on the War WATCH platform.

IHL in Focus conducts ongoing legal analysis of civilian harm in armed conflicts, examining the conduct of conflict actors and the humanitarian consequences of hostilities. The project monitors developments across a range of conflict situations and updates its assessments in response to factual and legal changes.

Beyond research, IHL in Focus contributes to dissemination and engagement activities, including expert briefings, policy dialogues, podcasts, training sessions, and public events. Through these activities, the project ensures that its legal analysis informs operational, diplomatic, and policy discussions on the protection of civilians.

Research Publications

Spot Report