International Humanitarian Law, also known as the Laws of War or Law of Armed Conflict, regulates international and non-international armed conflict. International Humanitarian Law consists of rules applicable during armed conflict. These rules also apply to a situation of occupation arising from armed conflict. Its rules can be found in treaties and international customary law. The main objective of these rules is to provide protection to the civilian population and civilian objects as well as to those persons who are no longer taking part in the hostilities. In addition, International Humanitarian Law rules aim to restrict the methods and means of warfare used during the hostilities by the parties involved. The International Committee of the Red Cross, a non-governmental humanitarian organization with its headquarter in Geneva, is the primary institution for International Humanitarian Law. Established in 1863, the initiatives of the ICRC have greatly contributed to the development of the laws of war. The ICRC also monitors the implementation of International Humanitarian Law rules and norms. States that have signed and ratified the four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005 have given the ICRC a mandate to protect victims of international and internal armed conflicts.
This Research Guide is intended as a starting point for research in the field of International Humanitarian Law. It provides the basic materials available in the Peace Palace Library, both in print and electronic format. Handbooks, leading articles, bibliographies, periodicals, serial publications and documents of interest are presented in the Selective Bibliography section. Links to the PPL Catalogue are inserted. The Library's subject heading (keyword) International Humanitarian Law is instrumental for searching through the Catalogue. Special attention is given to our subscriptions on databases, e-journals, e-books and other electronic resources. Finally, this Research Guide features links to relevant websites and other online resources of particular interest. Updated regularly in collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Library in Geneva.
Sources of international law
Treaties
- David, E., et al. (eds.), Droit international humanitaire 2023, 10e édition, à jour a 1er juin 2023, Bruxelles, Larcier, 2023.
- David, E., [et al.], International Humanitarian Law : Text Up to 1 June 2023. 3rd ed., Larcier, Lefebvre Sarrut Belgium SA, 2023.
- Clapham, A., and Gaeta, P., and Sassoli, M. (eds.), The 1949 Geneva Conventions: a commentary, Oxford, United Kingdom, Oxford University Press, 2015.
- Dörmann, K. [et al.] (eds.) and J.-M. Henckaerts, Commentary on the Third Geneva Convention: Convention (III) Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War, Geneva, International Committee of the Red Cross, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2021.
- Dörmann, K. [et al.] (eds.) and J.-M. Henckaerts, Commentary on the Second Geneva Convention: Convention (II) for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick, and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea, Geneva, International Committee of the Red Cross, Cambridge Cambridge University Press, 2018.
- Dörmann, K. [et al.] (eds.) and J.-M. Henckaerts, Commentary on the First Geneva Convention: Convention (I) for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field, Geneva, International Committee of the Red Cross, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2016.
Case-law
UN Declarations and Resolutions
Soft law
Reference works
- Clapham, A., and P. Gaeta (eds.), The Oxford Handbook of International Law in Armed Conflict, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014.
- Corn, G.S., K. Watkin and J. Williamson, The Law in War: A Concise Overview, Second Edition, Abingdon; New York, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2023.
- Crawford, Emily, and Alison Pert. International Humanitarian Law. Third edition, Cambridge University Press, 2024.
- Crowe, J., and K. Weston-Scheuber, Principles of International Humanitarian Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2013.
- Cumin, D., Manuel de droit de la guerre, 2e édition, Bruylant, 2020.
- Djukic, D. and N. Pons (eds.), The Companion to International Humanitarian Law, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2018.
- Fleck, D. (ed.), The Handbook of International Humanitarian Law (4th edition), Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2021.
- Kolb, R., Advanced Introduction to International Humanitarian Law, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar, 2015.
- Liivoja, R., and McCormack, T. (eds.), Routledge Handbook of the Law of Armed Conflict, London, Routledge, 2016.
- Robertson, Geoffrey. Crimes against Humanity : The Struggle for Global Justice. Fifth edition, New and updated edition, Penguin Books, 2024.
- Sankieme Lusanga, Ange. Manuel De Droit International Humanitaire. L’Harmattan, 2022.
- Saul, B. and Akande, D. (eds.), The Oxford Guide to International Humanitarian Law, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2020.
- Sivakumaran, S., The Law of Non-International Armed Conflict, Oxford, Oxford University Press, 2014.
- Thürer, D., International Humanitarian Law: Theory, Practice, Context, The Hague, Hague Academy of International Law, 2011.
- Tsagourias, N., and A. Morrison, International Humanitarian Law: Cases, Materials and Commentary, Second Edition, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2023.
- Van der Vyver, Johan David. International Humanitarian Law. Lap Lambert Academic Publishing, 2022.
Recent books and peer-reviewed articles
- Bhuiyan, Md. J.H. and Khan, B.U. (eds.), Revisiting the Geneva Conventions: 1949-2019, Leiden, Boston, Brill Nijhoff, 2020.
- Boogaard, J. van den, Proportionality in International Humanitarian Law: Refocusing the Balance in Practice, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2023.
- Schrage, Marco. Friedens- Und Konfliktethik : Ein Grundriss. Verlag Barbara Budrich, 2022.
- Casey-Maslen, Stuart. The Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention : A Commentary. Third edition, Oxford University Press, 2023.
- Copeland, Damian. A Functional Approach to the Legal Review of Autonomous Weapon Systems. Brill / Nijhoff, 2025.
- Cumin, D., Le droit de la guerre: Traité sur l’emploi de la force armée en droit international (Volume 1), Seconde édition, Paris, Harmattan, 2023.
- Cumin, D., Le droit de la guerre: Traité sur l’emploi de la force armée en droit international (Volume 2), Seconde édition, Paris, Harmattan, 2023.
- Cumin, D., Le droit de la guerre: Traité sur l’emploi de la force armée en droit international (Volume 3), Seconde édition, Paris, Harmattan, 2023.
- Dinstein, Y., The Conduct of Hostilities Under the Law of International Armed Conflict , Fourth edition, Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2022.
- Fink, U. and Gillich, I., Humanitäres Völkerrecht, Baden-Baden, Nomos, 2023.
- Fortin, K. and E. Heffes (eds.), Armed Groups and International Law: In the Shadowland of Legality and Illegality, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2023.
- Heffes, E., Kotlik, M.D. and Ventura, M.J. (eds.), International Humanitarian Law and Non-State Actors: Debates, Law and Practice, The Hague, Asser Press, 2020.
- Landefeld, Sarina. Individuals in International Humanitarian Law : A Historical Analysis. Hart Publishing, 2024.
- Lynn, John A. Leaving the Fight : Surrender, Prisoners of War, and Detainees in Western Warfare. Cambridge University Press, 2025.
- McCormack, Tim, and Narrelle Morris, editors. Law Reports of the Australian War Crimes Trials : 1945-1951. Brill Nijhoff, 2024.
- Moran, Cian. The Evolution of Humanitarian Intervention in International Law : From the Ottoman Empire to the Russia-Ukraine War. Brill/Nijhoff, 2025.
- Morris, Tamer. The Protection of Civilians in Peacekeeping Operations : A Legal Obligation. Brill/Nijhoff, 2024.
- Mührel, L., The Authority of the International Committee of the Red Cross: Determining What International Humanitarian Law Is, Leiden, Brill Nijhoff, 2024.
- Patton Rogers, James, editor. De Gruyter Handbook of Drone Warfare. De Gruyter, 2024.
- Sarkin, J.J., The Conflict in Syria and the Failure of International Law to Protect People Globally: Mass Atrocities, Enforced Disappearances, and Arbitrary Detentions, Abingdon, Oxon, New York, NY, Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2022.
- Sassòli, Marco, International Humanitarian Law : Rules, Controversies, and Solutions to Problems Arising in Warfare. Second edition, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
- Stevens, T. and J. Devanny (eds.), Research Handbook on Cyberwarfare, Cheltenham, Edward Elgar Publishing, 2024.
- Trigeaud, L. (ed.), La réception du droit international humanitaire en droit interne: un ancrage du droit des conflits armés dans la règlementation nationale, Paris, Pedone, 2024.
For all peer-reviewed articles in the PPL Catalogue, click here.
Periodicals, serial publications
- African Yearbook on International Humanitarian Law
- International Review of the Red Cross
- ISIL Yearbook of International Humanitarian and Refugee Law
- Journal of Conflict & Security Law
- Journal of International Humanitarian Legal Studies
- Law Mantra Journal, 1 (2013), No. 4
- The Military Law and the Law of War Review
- Yearbook of International Humanitarian Law
Bibliographies
- Hou, M., Bibliography 2014: International Humanitarian Law, Geneva, International Committee of the Red Cross, 2015.
- Huynh Thi Huong, Bibliography of International Humanitarian Law Applicable in Armed Conflicts, Geneva : ICRC & Henry Dunant Institute, 1987.
- ICRC Resource Centre, Quarterly IHL Bibliography
- Thyssen, H., "Selected Bibliography on the Rules and Institutions of International Humanitarian Law Put to the Test of Recent Armed Conflicts", in Rules and Institutions of International Humanitarian Law Put to the Test of Recent Armed Conflicts, Leiden : Nijhoff, 2010, pp. 901-981.
Dictionaries
- Customary Law Database, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Geneva Conventions Materials, Library of Congress, Military Legal Resources
- International Humanitarian Law Commons, Digital Commons Network
- Law of Armed Conflict Lecture Series, United Nations Audiovisual Library of International Law
- The Laws of War Database, Avalon Project of the Yale Law School
- National Implementation of IHL Database, International Committee of the Red Cross
- Répertoire de droit international: Droit international humanitaire – Philippe BRETTON; Aurélien LEMASSON – Octobre 2019 (actualisation: Julliet 2023)
- Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts (RULAC) Project, Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights
- Treaties, States Parties and Commentaries Database, International Committee of the Red Cross
International Organisations
Research Guides
- Humanitarian Law, NYU Law Library
- International Humanitarian Law, American Society of International Law
- International Humanitarian Law, FSU College of Law
- International Humanitarian Law, University of Iowa Law Library
- International Humanitarian Law, University of Melbourne
- International Humanitarian Law, University of Ottawa Library
- International Humanitarian Law: Legal Aspects of War, Heafy Law Library
- Program on International Law and Armed Conflict, Harvard Law School Library
Research and Academia
- Forum for International Criminal and Humanitarian Law (FICHL)
- Frederick K. Cox International Law Center War Crimes Research Portal
- International Committee of the Red Cross, War and International Humanitarian Law
- International Humanitarian Law
- Preparatory documents on Geneva Conventions
- Rule of Law in Armed Conflict Project
- United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Protecting the Environment During Armed Conflict