Every human life deserves safety and dignity: A call to make international humanitarian law a political priority

Mr. President,

The evidence is clear: hospitals reduced to rubble, civilian neighbourhoods destroyed, and innocent lives lost. Across the globe, respect for international humanitarian law (IHL) is in crisis, threatening the very humanity that these laws seek to preserve. 

This is not an abstract issue. It is one that impacts millions of lives every day, and one that costs hundreds of billions of dollars to recover from. 

This month I visited Lebanon, Syria, Israel, Gaza, and the West Bank. I saw so much suffering. So much rubble. So much devastation. What is important in the face of this misery is not who wins or who loses. What is important is that a human life is a human life, and that every human being deserves to live in safety and dignity. 

I met people whose lives are irrevocably changed because their rights under international humanitarian law were disregarded. The same could be said for millions of other civilians living through armed conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ukraine, Sudan, Myanmar, and elsewhere.

Mr. President, 

I want to thank you for convening us here today to discuss the importance of international humanitarian law. You opened the 79th session of the General Assembly under the theme “Unity in Diversity.” 

This is precisely what the Geneva Conventions represent—a universal body of international law ratified by every State, striving to protect a minimum of shared humanity. The core principles of international humanitarian law transcend national constitutions, borders, religions, and cultures. 

Yet, what we see is a seemingly limitless tolerance for death, destruction, and dehumanisation. If we continue this path, where does it lead us? We are already seeing wars without limits, without regard for human dignity. We are seeing deepening divisions, rendering the struggle for peace harder than it should be. 

IHL is not meant to prevent wars, but to contain excessive deployment of force. Once unleashed, unrestrained violence breeds even greater global security risks where and when you least expect. To put simply: it is in all States’ interest to uphold international humanitarian law to protect the security of their own people. 

The ICRC, together with Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan, and South Africa, have launched a global initiative to reinvigorate political commitment to international humanitarian law. This is an exceptional effort because the current situation demands it. Future wars will be fought based on the standards set by conflicts today, and we cannot afford the bar to be lowered any further. 

Over the next two years, we will tackle together some of the most pressing challenges facing IHL. We have chosen topics that warrant collective thinking and are inviting you all to take part in workstreams around them to offer concrete recommendations. 

This includes: 

• Preventing violations: We know that it is possible to wage war while sticking to the rules of war – let's build on good practices, learn from one another, and strengthen our collective commitment to prevent systematic violations of IHL.   
• Protecting hospitals and civilian infrastructure: Hospitals, homes, schools, and essential services are protected under IHL. Despite this, violations occur too often and with alarming disregard. 
• Adapting IHL for the future: We need to think about how the rules of war apply to new technologies, and consider the challenges that large-scale conflicts might bring, including military operations at sea. 
• Linking IHL to peace: Any armed conflict must be fought with a plan to eventually return to peace. This is why it is essential to look at how adherence with IHL can contribute to mediation efforts.  
   

The preliminary findings will be shared in the second half of this year. I will also be convening a senior level advisory board to support us in steering this political process over the next two years. All this work will culminate in a global meeting in late 2026 to reassert our shared commitment to international humanitarian law.  

Geopolitical divides run deep, but multilateralism is not dead. Its backbone still is the UN system. This initiative is not about politicising international humanitarian law, but to cut across traditional silos and elevate IHL to the level of a political priority.  

International humanitarian law is not transactional. The responsibility to uphold and preserve it is equally held by all States in all circumstances. 

As the President of an organisation mandated to promote the rules of war, I implore all members of the General Assembly to join this initiative. 

Thank you.