women in armed conflict amnesty international

It also requires them to “remove civilian persons and objects under its control from the vicinity of military objectives”, again “to the extent feasible”.Īs cities and towns increasingly become the epicentre of fighting, civilian and military objectives intertwine and it becomes trickier to apply these rules.

International humanitarian law requires all parties to the conflict to “avoid locating military objectives within or near densely populated areas”, to “the extent feasible”. Geneva Solutions spoke with Marco Sassòli, professor of international law at the University of Geneva and special advisor on IHL to the prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, about the conclusions of the report and the backlash it has received.

But as Ukraine fights tooth and nail to repel the Russian invasion and regain control of its territories, critics have been harsh on the report, calling it “one-sided” or “counter-productive”.ĭespite the fury that has been expressed, the rules of conflict are clear and apply to all parties involved.

A report by Amnesty International accusing Ukraine’s armed forces of endangering civilian lives has caused outrage, prompting the head of the NGOs Ukrainian branch to quit in protest and the organisation to apologise for the “anger” it has caused.Īccording to the findings, the Ukrainian army has set up military bases and managed weapons from populated areas, schools and hospitals on several occasions, putting civilians in harm's way in a breach of international humanitarian law (IHL).

Women in armed conflict amnesty international