Report on – 33rd IC Resolution 1: Bringing IHL home: A road map for better national implementation of international humanitarian law (33IC/19/R1) – Australian Red Cross

Has your State/National Society/Institution incorporated the commitments contained in this resolution into the relevant strategic or operational plans?

The commitments are incorporated into:
Strategy
Policy
Operational plan

At the International, Regional, National level

Explanation:

National Level:

– Working alongside the Australian Government on drafting Australia’s voluntary report on IHL implementation.

– Increased IHL training and dissemination efforts to a range of stakeholders, focused particularly on those that have a footprint in armed conflict or a role to play in the understanding and interpretation fo IHL in Australia, including the Government, military, private, legal and humanitarian sectors as well as Australian Red Cross staff and volunteers.

– Working collaboratively with all members of the National IHL Committee to reinvigorate its working modalities and functions.

– Providing submissions to Australian Government and Parliamentary inquiries on IHL related matters including: counter terrorism and sanctions, defence trade controls, military assistance, current situations of armed conflict, and the rights of women, children and persons with disabilities in armed conflict.

Regionally/Internally

– Co-leading a Pacific Partnership to enhance collaboration between National IHL Committees and States looking to establish such committees in the Pacific Region.

– Participation and presentation at Regional and International Conferences – including presenting at the Sixth Commonwealth Conference, National Society Legal Advisers meetings, Australian New Zealand Society of International Law conferences.

– Providing briefings, expert opinions and submissions to corporate actors, including private business entities and international standards and regulatory bodies, on matters concerning the application of IHL to business activities in conflict situations.

Has your State/National Society/Institution been working with other partners to implement the commitments contained in this resolution?

Partner with:
Government and/or public authorities
ICRC/IFRC
Other National Red Cross or Red Crescent Societies
Humanitarian and development partners (e.g. UN, NGOs etc.)
Academia
Other

Examples of cooperation:

– Provided more than three joint submissions (with ICRC and IFRC) to Government and Parliamentary inquiries on counter terrorism, sanctions and other restrictive measures.

– Worked closely with ICRC Mission in Australia on IHL work with Government.

– Cooperate with Government on IHL training to public officials.

– Working closely with Government on IHL matters, including through the National IHL Committee.

– Working to enhance collaboration with National Societies in the Pacific on National IHL Committees.

– Working with corporate actors to broaden IHL dissemination to the private sector, including the energy and resources sector, finance and responsible investment sector, and governance and compliance bodies.

– Working with humanitarian organisations to measure the impact of IHL knowledge and training, developing an IHL Knowledge Framework, and progressing further research into the value and impact of IHL knowledge and training within the humanitarian sector in Australia.

– Delivering an annual training course on International Law and Humanitarian Action to Government, Australian Defence Force, and Humanitarian participants, in partnership with the Australian Defence Force Indo-Pacific Centre for Military Law, and biannual IHL Symposiums with the Australian Humanitarian Sector.

– Working with Australian humanitarian organisations to deliver a series of ‘IHL in Context’ webinars.
Cooperating with academic institutions and individuals to further IHL debate and education.
Partnering with the ICRC on the digital emblem project.

Have you encountered any challenges in implementing the commitments contained in this resolution?

With challenges on:
Funding constraints
Competing priorities

Details about challenges:

– Competing priorities amongst different stakeholders.

– Lack of incentive due to strained resources and competing priorities

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the work and direction of your State/National Society/Institution?

Type of Impact:
Cooperation between Government/public authorities and National Society has been strengthened
Innovative tools/methodologies have been developed and are utilized
Training and capacity of staff and volunteers has increased (for National Societies)

Details about the impact:

– Australian Red Cross and the Australian Government have strengthened their cooperation through the process of drafting Australia’s voluntary report on IHL Implementation, led by the Government and supported by Australian Red Cross.

– Australian Red Cross has partnered with the private and academic sectors in Australia to produce a series of innovative tools, aimed at enhancing IHL awareness and implementation among private business entities and non-law tertiary institutions, such as business schools.

– Australian Red Cross continues to work closely with Australian humanitarian organisations to progress further research into the value and impact of IHL knowledge and training within the humanitarian sector in Australia, to better understand the most effective ways for humanitarians to learn about and embed IHL into their standard policies and practices.

Have the commitments contained in this resolution had an impact on the communities that your State/National Society/Institution serves?