A) Objetivos de la promesa
With a view to enhance the dissemination and implementation of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by Portuguese authorities, this pledge aims at the establishing of a national committee to advise said authorities on matters pertaining to IHL, in particular with regards to the obligations under the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols.
This pledge answers the call for States to consider establishing national committees and similar entities on IHL, as contained in the 33rd International Conference resolution on “Bringing IHL home: A road map for better national implementation of international humanitarian law”.
B) Plan de acción
– Portugal and the Portuguese Red Cross will continue to work together to establish a national committee on IHL in Portugal, under the permanent consultation mechanism they have established under a pledge at the 31st International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent.
– Portugal will relaunch proceedings for setting up a national committee on IHL, following the preliminary consultations that took place in 2017 and 2018 with relevant government departments (including Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Internal Administration, Justice, Education) and the Portuguese Red Cross, in line with the “Practical advice to facilitate the work of National Committees on international humanitarian law” issued by the Advisory Service on International Humanitarian Law of the International Committee of the Red Cross.
C) Indicadores para medir los avances:
– Before the 34th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, create a national committee on International Humanitarian Law in Portugal.
– If possible, to create a national committee on International Humanitarian Law in Portugal before the mid-term report on the implementation of this pledge is due in 2021.
D) Recursos requeridos:
A future national committee on International Humanitarian Law in Portugal will not require active support from the International Committee of the Red Cross and is not expected to generate any expenses on the part of the Portuguese Government – persons appointed as members of the national committee will not be entitled to any compensation in that capacity. This is without prejudice to possible requests of advisory support from the Advisory Service of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as appropriate.
