Displacement in times of armed conflict: How international humanitarian law protects in war, and why it matters

Displacement is part and parcel of war and one of the greatest humanitarian challenges of our time. This study shows that international humanitarian law (IHL) needs to be an integral part of reflection on how to reduce and solve displacement in armed conflict. The main purpose of the study is to draw attention to the key role that IHL plays in preventing and addressing displacement and to influence law and policymaking among States and international and multilateral organizations. This is the first instalment of IHL Impact, a series of academically rigorous, evidence-based studies by the ICRC’s Law and Policy Forum that draw on the organization’s unparalleled knowledge and resources to examine how IHL actually makes a difference on the ground.