New tools for engagement with armed non-State actors on the protection of health care, displaced persons and cultural property

In recent years, attacks against medical personnel and healthcare facilities as well as cultural property have been on the rise. Similarly, today an unprecedented 79.5 million people around the world were forced to flee from their homes by armed conflict, persecution or violence. In response to these developments, Geneva Call has started to engage armed non-State actors on the protection of health care, displaced persons and cultural property. Based on its experience, Geneva Call has developed a series of educational tools on international humanitarian norms related to the protection of health care, displaced persons and cultural property in armed conflict. For each thematic, a new booklet with illustrations and key messages has been produced, in consultation with relevant stakeholders.

Other humanitarian organizations have also shown interest in using the booklets. They have underlined that these educational tools provide a ‘clear, simple and visually supported guidance’ with ‘limited text and engaging visuals’. Such an approach makes the technical information readily available and understandable to all those participating in armed conflict, even without receiving formal training.

The booklets on the protection of health care, displaced persons and cultural property are available on Geneva Call’s website.

In addition, video clips have been produced, blending different cultural contexts to make them usable across all regions. The new videos on the protection of health care, displaced persons and cultural property are publicly available and are being disseminated as part of Geneva Call’s Fighter not Killer campaign, promoting international humanitarian norms through social media, TV, radio and other means in many countries affected by armed conflict. Over the years, the campaign has reached more than 63 million people worldwide.