Despite the longstanding efforts of the international community to prevent an arms race in outer space, the rules governing the potential use of force there is something worth serious consideration – and we have already have seen spill-over effects of terrestrial conflicts into space. This raises the question, how would international humanitarian law (IHL) apply to the conduct of hostilities in outer space?

In this post, part of a series on War, Law and Outer Space, Svenja Berrang, Legal Adviser for the German Federal Ministry of Defence, gives a short overview of the basic IHL principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution and takes a closer look at the challenges in their application to outer space posed by the widespread dual-use of space systems, the employment of civilian operators for space systems used by the military, and the creation of space debris by attacking a space object.

How would IHL apply to hostilities in outer space?

Technological trends and the rapid expansion of activity in outer space is creating new urgency for the pursuit of effective measures to ensure peace and security in this crucial domain. Efforts by the United Nations in this area have traditionally been aimed at moderating strategic competition among the major military powers by preventing any arms race in outer space.

In this post, part of a series on War, Law, and Outer Space, Michael Spies, Senior Political Affairs Officer at the United Nations Office for Disarmament Affairs, explains how a human-centered approach to disarmament can accelerate progress toward agreements on outer space security.

A human-centred approach to outer space security: how to boost UN efforts in the near-term

Responsibility for maintaining law and order generally falls to civil authorities such as the police and other law enforcement agencies that are equipped, organized and trained for such operations. The primary role of most state armed forces, by contrast, is to protect their country against external threats (international armed conflict, IAC) and to deal with internal, non-international armed conflict (NIAC). However, armed forces may be called upon to support civil authorities where the level of threat, the degree of violence or the scale of the challenge exceeds the capabilities of traditional law enforcement agencies.
In essence, this means to protect life, security and property and maintaining the rule of law. Because military forces are often not equipped, organized or trained for such missions, there is a risk they could cause harm to citizens and unnecessary damage to possessions and property. Hence, today I am speaking with two ICRC experts and Colonel Susan Mwanga, from the Ugandan People’s Defence Forces on how military personnel can reduce this risk , as outlined in the latest ICRC handbook, along with .guidance in preparing for and conducting security operations in such a way as to reduce harm to people affected by them.

For more information: https://blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/humanity-in-war-podcast/

Episode 15: Reducing Harm in Military Security Operations

At COP28, states and organizations will adopt a Declaration on Climate, Relief, Recovery and Peace, committing to strengthen climate action and finance in conflict and fragile settings. Over the last few years, the ICRC has carried out analysis on reducing the impacts of the climate and environment crisis on people enduring conflict, notably captured in a new report, Weathering the Storm.

In this post, part of a series on Climate Change, Conflict and Humanitarian Action, Catherine-Lune Grayson and Amir Khouzam, co-authors of the report and respectively head of the policy team and policy advisor at the ICRC, reflect on dilemmas pertaining to strengthening the response to growing climate risks in conflict settings.

Responding to climate risks in conflict settings: in search of solutions

The deployment of open-source intelligence, or OSINT – information gathered from publicly-available data sources and used for intelligence purposes – is having a dramatic impact on armed conflict in the 21st century, rebalancing information asymmetries between states and other actors while supporting accountability efforts. There is, however, a downside to these developments, with OSINT creating and enabling the risk of harm to civilians’ rights, lives, and safety in ways that are not yet fully understood.

In this post, part of a new series on Cybersecurity and data protection in humanitarian action, legal researcher and OSINT analyst Ed Millett considers how far international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL) currently regulate the use of OSINT techniques by state and non-state actors in armed conflict settings, suggesting that our limited understanding of emergent harms is hampering effective regulation

Deploying OSINT in armed conflict settings: law, ethics, and the need for a new theory of harm

Mobile phones are a powerful tool for participation and engagement in humanitarian crises. Responsible public/private partnerships are increasingly unleashing their potential.

In this post, part of a new series on Cybersecurity and data protection in humanitarian action, Susanna Acland and Barnaby Willitts-King from the GSMA Mobile for Humanitarian Innovation programme outline the private sector perspective on this important trend.

Mobile phones for participation: building responsible public-private humanitarian partnerships

In times of crisis and conflict, advanced artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML) might become as much part of the problem as the solution. An ever-growing number of children in need risk having their data used as part of AI systems that do not implement safeguards and protections for vulnerable populations. Given the short- and long-term consequences for the first generations to grow up with AI, there is an urgent need to scrutinize AI-powered systems that are not aligned with the rights, needs, and realities of children in humanitarian action.

In this post, part of a series on Cybersecurity and data protection in humanitarian action, Roxana Radu, Associate Professor of Digital Technologies and Public Policy at the University of Oxford’s Blavatnik School of Government, and Eugenia Olliaro, Programme Specialist at UNICEF’s Chief Data Office and the global UNICEF lead of the Responsible Data for Children (RD4C) initiative, make three recommendations for the humanitarian sector to become children-centred in the age of AI.

Not child’s play: protecting children’s data in humanitarian AI ecosystems

Since the 7th of October, the world has witnessed a new and unimaginable wave of tragedy unfold across Israel and the occupied territories. As we pass the two-month mark of the intensification of this armed conflict, the armed violence continues to impact civilians minute by minute.

As our colleagues on the ground engage in an exceedingly challenging humanitarian context, faced with many challenges and obstacles, podcast host Elizabeth Rushing sat down with Cordula Droege, ICRC’s Chief Legal Officer to discuss how recent developments of this armed conflict are governed by international humanitarian law (IHL).

For more information: blogs.icrc.org/law-and-policy/hu…y-in-war-podcast/

Episode 16: Israel and the occupied territories: how international humanitarian law applies

Online violence is not contained by the digital sphere – it is killing women and adolescent girls in offline spaces. It seeps into their daily lives, infecting their psychological and physical well-being and resulting in paranoia, shame, isolation, and even leading to their deaths through honor killing, murder, and suicide.

In this post, part of a new series on Cybersecurity and data protection in humanitarian action, Megan O’Brien, from the International Rescue Committee’s Violence Prevention and Response Unit, summarizes her discussions with GBV experts and her review of the existing literature to better understand the impact online violence and technology-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV) has on women and girls in emergency and conflict settings.

Online violence: real life impacts on women and girls in humanitarian settings

The extent to which a victim/survivor-centered approach (VSCA) should be incorporated into data protection remains an emerging issue for accountability actors. What does a VSCA look like when collecting data through open-source channels, for example? On a technical level, it means having processes in place to secure and govern data. On a human level, it means recognizing the rights of victims/survivors, building trust among historically marginalized and undervalued communities, and mitigating risks to individuals whose data is entrusted to our care.

In this post, part of a new series on Cybersecurity and data protection in humanitarian action, IIIM-Syria Associate Legal Officer Rayyan Ghuma and Information and Evidence Officer Birhane Wossen Reta delve into areas of concern at the intersection of victim/survivor-centeredness, data protection, and open-source collection. They ultimately draw upon the IIIM experience to continue an ongoing conversation about data protection and the VSCA in inclusive accountability.

Victim/survivor-centeredness, data protection and open-source collection: lessons from IIIM-Syria

Humanity in War is the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)'s humanitarian law and policy podcast. Hosted by Elizabeth Rushing, Humanity in War will consult cutting edge thinkers with one overarching question in mind: how can we better leverage international humanitarian law and policy to protect the lives and dignity of people affected by armed conflict and violence?

For questions and/or feedback, contact erushing@icrc.org or stxu@icrc.org.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Humanitarian Law & Policy blog is a unique space for timely analysis and debate on international humanitarian law (IHL) issues and the policies that shape humanitarian action.

New tracks tagged #International Humanitarian Law (IHL)