Mirjana Spoljaric, President of the ICRC: “the protection of civilians is a prerequisite for stability, peace and recovery”

2023-05-23 18:00:00

President Berset, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen.

The question of the protection of civilians is a central part of the remit of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

As we stand together, countless civilians in armed conflicts around the world are living through hell.

At any time, a missile can destroy your home, your school, your clinic, and everyone inside.

On any given day, your loved ones may be subjected to ill-treatment, rape, detention or torture.

Any given week, they may run out of food or medicine.

Everywhere I look – and in the short time that I have been President of the ICRC, I have been in countries affected by armed conflict in Africa, Europe and the Middle East – I see a rapidly deteriorating humanitarian situation.

Entire regions are locked in cycles of conflict with no end in sight.

ICRC figures show that, in the last twenty years, the number of non-international armed conflicts has more than tripled, from less than 30 to more than 90.

Many of them are protracted conflicts, involving unrelenting suffering compounded by climatic shocks, food insecurity and economic hardship.

Civilians are seriously unprotected because they suffer from the incessant accumulation of attacks, threats, destruction, as well as political stalemates.

When conflicts are characterized by widespread destruction and violations of international humanitarian law, development and peace become an unattainable ambition.

It is self-evident: the protection of civilians is a precondition for achieving stability, peace and recovery.

The appeals I make to States today are urgent.

First, protect people and critical civilian infrastructure in urban areas.

The widespread, and often indiscriminate, destruction of homes and critical infrastructure drives a disproportionate increase in the cost of war.

In the places I have been in recent months, I have seen the shock of losing home compounded by the interruption or prolonged absence of essential services such as water, electricity, health care and education.

As cities and towns in Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen are engulfed in fighting, the ICRC is witnessing serious and large-scale damage.

The tendency to commit violations needs to be broken: and this can be done through strong political will and sustained action.

State and non-state parties must do more to prevent, reduce and mitigate the damage that armed conflicts cause in urban centers. More than two years ago, with the approval of resolution 2573, this same Council demanded a greater effort from the parties to armed conflicts. Today I come to reiterate that appeal.

The ICRC urges all parties involved in urban warfare to:

• do everything in their power to prioritize the protection of civilians in urban environments;
• fully respect international humanitarian law and, in particular, the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution;
• prevent the use of heavy explosive weapons in populated areas, and support and implement in good faith the political declaration on explosive weapons in populated areas; and
• take the necessary measures so that the protection of essential services encompasses the infrastructure, people and inputs that help keep hospitals and water and electricity supply services running.

Second, States must take measures to prevent and mitigate food insecurity in areas affected by armed conflict.

Earlier this year, I was in the Horn of Africa, seeing how armed conflict and climate shocks are having a devastating impact on already vulnerable communities.

In Somalia, more than seven million people urgently need food and water.

The combination of drought, lack of investment in climate adaptation in areas of armed conflict, and the repercussions of the international armed conflict between the Russian Federation and Ukraine is severely affecting populations affected by conflicts around the world.

The ICRC calls on States and other actors to:

• respect and enforce international humanitarian law, including rules on the conduct of hostilities, to reduce the risk of food insecurity and famine;
• Invest in practical solutions and adaptation measures to mitigate the effects of climate change in regions affected by armed conflict.

Third, I call on States to allow neutral and impartial humanitarian access.

I mean access to civilians in need of assistance, especially besieged communities…

Access to overcrowded detention facilities, where we continue to see worrying trends in ill-treatment and torture…

Access to the 175 million people who, according to estimates, live in areas controlled totally or partially by armed groups…

To this end, it is necessary to facilitate a humanitarian dialogue with non-state armed groups, for example, through the application of the humanitarian exception to sanctions regimes approved by this Council in resolution 2664. This is essential for an organization like the ICRC, which interacts with more than 300 armed groups around the world.

In the current operational environment, misinformation and disinformation also pose a threat to populations and hamper humanitarian operations. Misinformation can foster dangerous divisions in communities and undermine their acceptance of humanitarian organizations.

We urge States and other actors to take all necessary measures to prevent and mitigate the effects of information harmful to the security, dignity and rights of civilians, and to preserve the space for neutral and impartial humanitarian action. and protect it from political instrumentalization.

Finally, I must insist that the protection of the civilian population means the protection of all.

As long as international humanitarian law for all genders is not respected, there is no chance of lasting stability or security.

The ICRC urges States to:

• take the necessary measures so that all people, regardless of gender, have protection in armed conflicts and benefit equitably from humanitarian assistance;
• incorporate the express prohibition of sexual violence under international humanitarian law into national laws, military doctrine and formations;
• commit to applying a gender perspective in the implementation and interpretation of international humanitarian law.

Mr. president:

The ICRC insists, once again, on the preventive and protective effects of international humanitarian law.

Compliance with the law protects civilians. Avoid violations and abuses.

It reduces the cost of war, while paving a path toward cessation of hostilities agreements and, ultimately, toward lasting peace, functioning economies, and a healthy natural environment.

I call on all states to respect international humanitarian law, including by influencing others.

At a time of global trends and worsening geopolitical tensions, compliance with international humanitarian law must be a political priority.

Gracias.

Media Contacts:

Yuriy ShafarenkoICRC, New York, [phone], [e-mail]