International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative
Monitoring IHL in Iraq
NOTE: As of December 2008, this site will no longer be updated. It will remain online for the foreseeable future.
About the International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative (IHLRI)

The International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative (IHLRI) is a research, policy, and information project dedicated to the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law (IHL). Founded in 2002, the project is based at the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at the Harvard School of Public Health.

IHLRI seeks to develop new strategies to address challenges to the protection of civilians and persons "hors de combat" in conflict situations, particularly in view of the increasing targeting of civilians, the evolution of current methods of warfare, and the fragmentation of states in conflict areas. The project reflects the Harvard School of Public Health's focus on issues of human security as a key component of public health by working to provide a standardized approach to the protection of civilians in conflict situations. To that end, IHLRI seeks to enhance dialogue on humanitarian issues and to foster the creation of an international network of scholars, policy makers, and humanitarian practitioners - including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations - that share a common concern for the respect of the rules of the Geneva Conventions.

Within this framework, IHLRI serves as a central resource for a number of initiatives related to the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law. Once a year, in collaboration with the Swiss government as depository of the Geneva Conventions, the project co-hosts an informal high-level expert meeting at which state experts survey the development of the law and assess the need for further research and inquiries on selected areas.

IHLRI's networking goals are supported by a range of educational initiatives and web portals - the foremost being the IHL Research Initiative portal. This portal comprises links to more than eight thousand documents, offers briefing notes on the latest issues and debates related to IHL, and sponsors electronic conferences on key aspects of implementation. Finally, in cooperation with the United Nations, IHLRI offers training programs and specialized web portals on IHL. Tailored to the needs of policymakers, practitioners, and students, these activities provide background materials on IHL, as well as concise information on specific conflict situations, such as those in Iraq or the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

Statement on Methodology and Content

In developing its projects, the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research relies on strict internal standards to facilitate the presentation of timely and relevant materials. In keeping with its mission statement, the primary objective of all IHLRI projects is to promote access to information and expertise on IHL, presenting various academic perspectives and viewpoints on relevant operational issues. Our projects also seek to map the academic and operational parameters of ongoing debates in the field of IHL, while at the same time introducing the legal perspectives of all parties.

IHLRI portals provide legal analysis, updated access to news on IHL issues, reports from key international organizations and scholars as well as links to related resources from governments, international organizations and other relevant actors. Our activities are developed in close consultation with these same agencies. Comments are also solicited from a wide range of interested parties - including, but not limited to, regional representatives of the academic, legal, donor, governmental, and non-governmental communities. Further, we seek to incorporate as many primary and secondary sources as possible, in order to foster an understanding of differing legal interpretations of key IHL provisions and texts.


In terms of methodology, the IHLRI research team maintains contacts throughout the world in order to encourage feedback. In the case of the site "IHL in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory," all original briefing notes are subject to independent academic review under the supervision of leading IHL scholars. The Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research retains full editorial independence and final judgment on all materials posted to the site. We welcome comments and suggestions from users.

Contributors to IHLRI

The following are a list of recent contributors to the three IHLRI web portals: the IHL Research Initiative portal, Monitoring IHL in Iraq, and IHL in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory. Each contributor writes in his or her personal capacity. For more information on specific IHLRI portals, please contact HPCR at info@ihlresearch.org.

Claude Bruderlein is the Director of the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research, at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has more than eighteen years of experience in international humanitarian protection, including operational experience throughout the Middle East as a delegate of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

Yoram Dinstein, Professor Emeritus of International Law and Human Rights at Tel Aviv University (Israel), where he is the immediate past President. He is a member of the Institut de Droit International.

Derek Jinks, Visiting Professor of Law, University of Chicago Law School. He has also worked as Senior Legal Advisor and United Nations Representative for the South Asia Human Rights Documentation Centre in India; and served in the delegation of the International Service for Human Rights at the Rome conference for the establishment of a permanent International Criminal Court.

Frits Kalshoven, Professor of International Law and International Humanitarian Law at Leiden University 1967-1989; participant at numerous conferences developing IHL; author "Constraints on the Waging of War"; awarded Henry Dunant Medal in Nov. 2003.

Alejandro Lorite, Assistant Professor of Law, Université de Quebec à Montreal.

Michelle L. Mack, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross.

Jean-François Quéguiner, Legal Advisor, International Committee of the Red Cross.

John Quigley, Professor of Law, Moritz College of Law, The Ohio State University. He holds an adjunct appointment in the Political Science Department. His numerous publications include books and articles on human rights, the United Nations, war and peace, East European law, African law, and the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Marco Sassòli, Professor of Public International Law, Faculté de droit, Université de Genève. He has served as the Registrar of the Swiss Federal Tribunal in Lausanne and Executive Secretary of the International Commission of Jurists in Geneva.  He also worked for thirteen years for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Geneva, the Middle East and in former Yugoslavia.

Michael N. Schmitt, Professor of International Law and Director, Executive Program in International and Security Affairs, George C. Marshall European Center For Security Studies, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Germany.

Yuval Shany, Lecturer at the Law School of the College of Management Academic Studies, Israel and a member of the executive committee of the Concord Center for Research of the Interplay between International Norms and Israeli Law. He is also a visiting lecturer in both Tel Aviv University and the Hebrew University and has been a visiting fellow in the Harvard Law School Human Rights Program (2003-2004).

Col. Ken W. Watkin, Deputy Judge Advocate General/Operations, National Defense Headquarters, Canadian Forces. Col. Watkin was formerly a Visiting Fellow at the Human Rights Program, Harvard Law School.