Actions taken:
The Czech Republic together with the National Red Cross Society (The Czech Red Cross) works on promotion of the IHL and dissemination of knowledge of IHL in the State administration, in the armed forces, police and in the integrated rescue system, mainly thorough the National Committee on IHL which is presided by the MFA. The National Committee on IHL meets regularly, at least three times a year, to discuss the implementation of IHL obligations of the Czech Republic and to raise awareness of IHL principles, inter alia by organizing annual events on relevant topics with various speakers from international courts and tribunals and other institutions. The National Committee organized a seminar on the protection of cultural property in the event of armed conflict on June 19, 2018, a panel discussion on the safety of humanitarian personnel and providing of humanitarian aid on June 16, 2019, and published and disseminated manual on the use of the emblem of the Red Cross in the Czech Republic.
The Czech Republic is a State party to the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention, the Cluster Munitions Convention and the Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects (CCW) and its five protocols.
The Czech Republic has been supporting mine action, mine victim assistance and related activities by means of its engagement within the Antipersonnel Mine Ban Convention, the Ljubljana based International Trust Fund, UNMAS and NATO, as well as in the framework of its bilateral cooperation. The Czech Republic has been providing voluntary contribution for the implementation and universalisation of the activities of the Ottawa Convention as well as for the humanitarian demining programmes of UNMAS.
The Czech Republic has adopted the Action Plan of the Czech Republic for the implementation of United Nations Security Council resolution 1325 (2000,) on women peace and security and related resolutions for 2017 – 2020 and prepares regular yearly implementation reports.
The Czech Republic also contributes to EU´s Spotlight Initiative (aiming to eliminate violence on women and girls), UN WOMEN and to NATO´s Jordan II Trust fund (to build capacities and improve infrastructure at the Women’s Training Centre of Excellence in Jordan). The Interior Ministry´s MEDEVAC program of medical evacuations includes provisions for the vulnerable groups, including women and girls.
The Czech armed forces are required to complete gender training, which includes segment on sexual and gender based violence. The civilian staff to be deployed abroad is also trained in gender.
The Czech Republic has focused on protection as well as physical and psychosocial rehabilitation of children affected by armed conflicts in its humanitarian assistance to conflict affected countries such as Iraq, Syria, Yemen, the Ukraine, Afghanistan, South Sudan or Central African Republic, incl. displaced children. The Czech Republic has also supported relevant programs of UNICEF targeted children and youth in conflict and post-conflict situation, not least with use of the Czech membership in the Executive Board of UNICEF (2017 – 2019).
