TITLE: Role of ICRC and United Nations in the enforcement of

International Humanitarian Law

AUTHOR:
AKSHAY SONI
B.B.A. LL.B (H.)- 7th Semester.
Amity Law School,
Lucknow Campus.
Uttar Pradesh.
Phone: +91 7379883311
Email: akshaysoni44@gmail.com

CO-AUTHOR:
DEVASHISH PANDEY
Institute of law, Nirma University
Email-13bal030@nirmauni.ac.in,

ABSTRACT
Topic-Role of ICRC and United Nations in the enforcement of International
Humanitarian Law- Akshay Soni & Devashish Pandey
Key Words:- UN & IHL, ICRC & IHL, International organizations & IHL
The Geneva conventions of 1949 along with the Hague law are considered to be the source of
International Humanitarian Law. These treaties when were accepted by the countries at large
they took the form of international guiding principles in the times of war and thus lead to the
evolution of a new branch of public international law known as international humanitarian
law. These rules and regulations are in present day monitored by some of the international
organizations which are said to be the gate keeper for humanitarian aspects of war.
The paper, therefore intends:
1) To discuss the role played by the International Red Cross Committee (ICRC)
2) Role of United Nations.
The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is the world largest humanitarian
organization. It is a neutral, impartial and independent organization that provides protection
and assistance to people in armed conflict. This special role of the ICRC is now formally
recognized in the Statutes of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement 1,
which have been adopted both by the components of the Movement 2 and by the States party
to the Geneva Conventions, that is, practically all the worlds States.3
Article I of the UN Charter entrusts the United Nations inter alia with maintaining
international peace and security, and empowers the Security Council to take necessary action
to maintain and to restore peace.4 Article I of the Charter, like Article 55, enjoins the UN "to
promote and encourage respect for human rights and for fundamental freedoms for all."5
1 These Statutes are rep roduced in the Handbook of the International Red Cross
and Red Crescent Movement, 13th ed., ICRC/International Federation, Geneva,
1994, pp. 415-432
2 These components are the International Committee of the Red Cross, the
National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (currently numbering 170), and
the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
3 There are at present 188 States party to the Geneva Conventions
4 UN Charter, Articles 1, para. 1, and 24, para. 1

The Security Council has adopted numerous resolutions reaffirming the obligation of the
parties to an armed conflict to comply with IHL in general(for instance in Resolutions 764,
771, 780 (1992) ; 808, 815 (1993).

5 UN Charter, Articles 1, para. 3. See also Article 55, subpara. c