LUND, SWEDEN, October 24th October 2024 –– Today, the Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) announces the launch of the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Monitoring Database (ICMD). The ICMD will serve as a global platform for the real-time collection, aggregation, and analysis of data on alleged violations of International Humanitarian Law (IHL) by armed actors in conflict zones worldwide.
As armed conflicts escalate across the world, impacting nearly half billion people and contributing to a global requirement of more than US$48 billion in humanitarian aid, the need for accurate data on compliance with the so-called ‘laws of war’ has never been greater.
The ICMD aims to fill this gap by serving as a central repository for verified information on potential IHL violations committed by armed actors in conflict zones. This initiative leverages the latest technologies, reports from practitioners in conflict zones, international legal bodies, and credible open-source materials.
“The ICMD represents our most ambitious effort yet to empower a global commitment to international humanitarian law,” said Peter Lundberg, Executive Director of RWI. “By bringing together cutting-edge technology and the deep expertise of RWI scholars and our partners, we will provide a critical resource that will inform better research, accountability, advocacy, and policymaking.”
The ICMD aims to facilitate a more comprehensive and nuanced understanding of armed conflicts today. Key features of the ICMD include a searchable interface with data visualization tools, enabling users—researchers, policymakers, IHL practitioners, and states —to detect patterns and trends across armed conflicts for the first-time.
ICMD Partners and Stakeholders
The ICMD brings together a diverse range of partners, including government representatives, international organizations, civil society, and academic institutions, to support data collection and analysis. Initial contributors include renowned human rights and humanitarian law experts, legal scholars, and organizations working in conflict-affected areas.
“This initiative builds on RWI’s 40-year legacy of advancing human rights and humanitarian law,” said Elisabet Fura, Chair of the Board of RWI. “By creating a global platform for IHL compliance monitoring, we are not only improving the availability of critical data but also contributing to a more just and humane approach to the challenges posed by armed conflict.”
A Timely Initiative
As the world marks the 160th anniversary of the First Geneva Convention and the 75th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions, the launch of the ICMD underscores the critical need for renewed global commitment to IHL. RWI’s initiative aims to turn these historical milestones into a powerful call for action.
” The ICMD is about more than data—it lays the foundation for better understanding conflicts,” said Dr. Manuel Galvis, ICMD Research Coordinator at RWI. “By making comprehensive IHL data available to those who need it most, we hope to contribute to more effective humanitarian responses and ultimately, better protect civilians caught in the crossfire of armed conflict.”