ICRC’s Responses to the Challenges of Humanitarian Assistance during Armed Conflicts

Abstract

Today, it is beyond polemics that the conduct of humanitarian assistance is facing serious consequences. Worldwide, those involved in providing humanitarian aid to the victims of armed conflicts are matter-of-factly doing so under operational challenges which are hampering their humanitarian activities. While these facts are true about the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), they equally raise the question about its ability to fulfil its mission of humanitarian assistance to the victims of armed conflicts. As a result of this, the present article examines the meaning and background to the ICRC’s humanitarian assistance; the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) on humanitarian assistance during armed conflicts. Also, the article considers the humanitarian activities of the ICRC to the victims of armed conflicts around the world; the major challenges which underlie such activities and the ways in which the organisation is responding to these dire challenges. The article ends with the conclusion that despite massive constraints, the need arises, than before, for the ICRC to be more responsive to the challenges of humanitarian assistance in the world. This is with the view to guaranteeing the future of humanitarian assistance during armed conflicts, whether international or non-international in character.