Actions taken:
During 2020-2023, the Belgian Red Cross has strengthened its support to adequate IHL training in cooperation with authorities and has supported the development, use and sharing of innovative forms of dissemination, including through digital technology, which allow to better reach civilian population.
Examples of cooperation between the Belgian authorities and the Belgian Red Cross
Beyond its activities of IHL dissemination towards different target audiences, the Belgian Red Cross was able to engage cooperation with several Belgian authorities to support them in training sessions and integration of IHL in practice, sometimes with the ICRC support. Two main examples of cooperation can be highlighted:
– The Ministry of Defence:
Based on a cooperation agreement signed in 2012, the Belgian Red Cross and the Ministry of Defence were able to work together in the framework of different IHL dissemination activities. Annual meetings of the programming committee involving both partners were opportunities to reassess the National Society’s role to better address the expectations from the Ministry of Defence, to renew activities of cooperation and initiate others according to the needs of the armed forces.
The National Society has systematically been requested to participate in planning exercises with the members of the Belgian armed forces (officers), and occasionally members of armed forces from partner countries (NATO & EU Member States, and other countries) invited by the Belgian Ministry of Defence. Since the last International Conference, the Belgian Red Cross role has been extended in the different phases of the exercises: the elaboration of the scenario, especially on the humanitarian situation and the main IHL challenges in contemporary armed conflicts, the “Mission analysis” and “Course of action” phases (through briefing sessions), and sometimes the “Wargaming” phase (through comments and feedback). In this context, it recalls the mandate and respective roles of the Movement’s components and its approach based on the Fundamental Principles, the distinction between militaries and humanitarian organisations’ mandates, some IHL rules of protection of specific categories of civilians and the Movement’s approach to address their needs.
Annual trainings have also been organized on the initiative of the Royal Military School addressed to future ‘advisors in the law of armed conflicts’ and since 2021, to the future senior officer candidates. The Movement’s mandate and operational approach in armed conflicts, the main operational challenges (interplay between militaries and humanitarian actors, humanitarian access, respect for the medical mission, addressing the needs of displaced persons, protection of civilians in urban warfare), the protection of specific categories of civilians and the Movement’s approach to address their needs were raised. The National Society has also been invited to trainings organized by the CIMIC/Ci-MEG and medical components, addressed to their respective officers and more focused on the humanitarian access and the protection of the medical mission.
Finally, the National Society has been associated to the drafting process of the revised Operational Law Manual (part II dedicated to the Law of Armed Conflicts). In 2023, different topics were suggested by the Belgian Red Cross with the ICRC support for their consideration in the future version of the Manual (war in cities, preservation of the humanitarian space, respect and protection of health care and the wounded and sick, national information bureaus, protection of natural environment, weapons including new technologies, and gender & IHL). Concrete recommendations and sources (such as ICRC positions and guidelines) were sent. The first drafts of the revised Manual were shared by the Ministry of Defence for comments with the Belgian Red Cross and the ICRC.
– The Ministry of Foreign Affairs:
During 2020-2023, the Belgian Red Cross was systematically invited by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to give a lecture on IHL for future Belgian diplomats: IHL introduction (definition, sources, scope of application and principles), respect for IHL (relevance of IHL and examples of positive application of IHL through the ICRC “IHL in Action” Database, obligation to respect and ensure respect for IHL, actors including the role of the diplomats, and national implementation measures), case studies, and discussion on IHL challenges in contemporary armed conflicts.
Belgian Red Cross support to the development, use and sharing of innovative forms of IHL dissemination
On its side, the Belgian Red Cross has also adapted the format of some existing IHL training and dissemination activities and contributed to the development of other innovative formats.
First, following the Covid-19 pandemic, the Belgian Red Cross (French-speaking Community) has adapted its existing IHL annual course for general public into an online format (https://dih.croix-rouge.be/formations/acadihmie/). Each thematic module contains activities to be undertaken through a digital learning platform (e.g., documents and summaries of the main concepts to be read and videos to be watched, exercises to be done or prepared in advance) before the course, the virtual interactive session with the speaker, and some activities to be done after the session to test the participants’ knowledge. This new online format has contributed to increase the number of participants who have an interest for IHL or deal with IHL issues in their professional activities, and to allow them to participate in the course in a more proactive and interactive manner with the speakers. Throughout the learning journey, attention has been given for a balance between theory and practice. Participants were often challenged to mobilize their theoretical knowledge in a practical way with cases studies and exercises.
Furthermore, the Belgian Red Cross (French-speaking Community) has developed several IHL initiatives to reach out to the general public, through thematic conferences (e.g., War in cities) but also through innovative activities. For example, in 2023, an improvisation performance “This is not a target” (https://dih.croix-rouge.be/2023/10/31/ceci-nest-pas-une-cible-pari-reussi/) was organized in cooperation with a troop of artists to raise awareness on the existence of IHL, its relevance and the main concepts, and the potential citizens’ role to promote a better respect for human dignity in armed conflicts. This event was promoted several times on the national radio and in this context, the opportunity was seized to recall to the public the importance of IHL and its respect. This project has emerged after an IHL Hackathon session organized by the National Society in 2022.
Also the IHL Annual course (Lessenreeks) from Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has been adapted to an online course. Where the first four basic courses are provided in virtual sessions. Only the last lesson remains a physical session to provide also the opportunity for networking. The virtual component has been very well received by the participants.
Furthermore, Belgian Red Cross-Flanders has a strategic goal to develop a digital learning strategy for their IHL dissemination activities by the end of 2025.
As a member of the European Legal Support Group, the Belgian Red Cross has also been consulted for the elaboration of an IHL interactive film ‘If War Comes to You’, especially on the script and the translation in French. This tool was developed by the Danish Red Cross (implementing partner), the ELSG (initiating partner represented by the Danish Red Cross and the British Red Cross) and the ICRC. This tool aims to immerse the public in a situation of armed conflict to experience the humanitarian consequences though different perspectives (military, aid worker and civilian), to face dilemma and discover the basic tenets of IHL. It has resulted from a cooperation between National Societies and the ICRC to produce a tool that contributes to innovative forms of dissemination, using digital technology and new media formats.
