Mirjana Spoljaric, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross, says it’s “indispensable to act now” and exhorts nations to abide by international law.
Concerning the flagrant disrespect for the Geneva Conventions in conflicts and battles across the globe, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross has issued a warning.
In an interview published on Sunday in the Swiss daily Le Temps, Mirjana Spoljaric urged nations to make a firm commitment to upholding international law.
She claimed that individuals in charge of military operations were “systematically trampled underfoot” by international humanitarian law (IHL).
She indicated that the number of people killed and injured in the conflicts in “Gaza, Sudan, and Ukraine” was “beyond our imagination.”
The Geneva Conventions are overseen by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which aims to mediate disputes impartially.
However, Spoljaric said that it was finding that access to underprivileged communities was being “increasingly constrained (and) instrumentalised”.
She argued that it is “indispensable to act now” in favor of international humanitarian law, which serves to safeguard people and lessen the effects of armed conflict.
To encourage political support for IHL, the ICRC and six other nations—Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa—launched an initiative on Friday.
“Noncompliance is being maintained”
According to a joint statement, the 1949 Geneva Conventions “embody humanity’s shared conscience, values that transcend borders and creeds”; they were adopted in the wake of World War II.
“Yet, the suffering we witness today in armed conflicts around the world is proof that respect for and compliance with their most fundamental rules are not being upheld.”
According to the IHRC, the effort will work to create specific recommendations for how to stop IHL violations and encourage better protection for people and civilian infrastructure.
A high-level worldwide conference on how to “Uphold Humanity in War” is being planned for 2026, according to the ICRC.
Spoljaric declared, “The current situation is extremely dangerous.” “The trauma created by ongoing conflicts risks haunting us for decades.”
She continued: “The idea is not to reinvent the Geneva Conventions, which remain solid legal texts, but to urge States to apply them” .
“Countries must make the implementation of IHL a political priority.”
