At the end of 2024, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) estimated that 123.2 million people worldwide had been forced to flee due to persecution, armed conflict, violence, human rights violations, and events severely disrupting public order. Large-scale conflicts intensify this trend, affecting not only displaced persons but also the communities hosting them and potentially those who remain. International humanitarian law (IHL) aims to prevent displacement from armed conflicts while reducing harm to civilians, including displaced populations.
In this article, part of the series “Ensuring Respect for IHL in Large-Scale Armed Conflicts,” legal advisors Matt Pollard and Helen Obregón of the ICRC examine humanitarian challenges related to population movements, mass displacement, and breakdown of family ties in such conflicts. They also present concrete measures states can and should take to prepare for these challenges and fulfill their obligations under IHL and other relevant branches of international law. Adequate peace-time planning is essential for effective IHL protection in the event of a large-scale conflict.
Large-scale armed conflicts generally result in massive civilian displacement, which can overwhelm systems intended to protect and support affected civilians. Displaced persons may face prolonged displacement even after the conflict ends, making durable solutions difficult to find due to widespread destruction, social fabric impact, and other obstacles.
IHL aims to limit these damages by allowing voluntary civilian movements with restrictions on freedom of movement, minimizing and regulating involuntary displacements, and ensuring humane treatment and specific protection measures for displaced persons. States are also required to make efforts to prevent family separations during evacuations or internments and facilitate contact among separated family members.
The article is based on the updated text of the Fourth Geneva Convention Commentary by the ICRC, emphasizing how states can prepare in advance to make IHL protections effective in large-scale international armed conflicts. States must also consider their other international obligations, including those under international human rights law and the Vienna Conventions applicable to diplomatic and consular agents and their families.
Context: – United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR) – International humanitarian law (IHL) – Fourth Geneva Convention Commentary by the ICRC
Fact Check: – ICRC stands for International Committee of the Red Cross (CICR is the French abbreviation)
