Journalists schooled on International Humanitarian Law

A seminar was organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) , to educate journalists on International Humanitarian Law (IHL)to understand rules that are applicable to the rights of armed conflict.

The IHL seminar took place on Monday in Yaoundé

The aim of the seminar was to raise awareness and empower journalists on humanitarian concerns posed by armed conflicts and the mandate and functioning of the ICRC, as well as to provide the concerned with few key concepts on IHL applicable during armed conflict. Not to mention the protection of journalists in armed conflicts and other situations of violence.

According to Apollin Koagne Zouapet, a PhD researcher at the University of Geneva in Switzerland, “the IHL is a set of legal rules and mechanism to protect those who do not fight and no longer participate in hostilities. At the same time, it aims at limiting the means and methods of warfare between belligerents on the battlefields.”

The idea of the IHL is that even war has its limit; there is therefore, the need to protect, limit and decide. IHL penalty is, however, to be respected by States. This is why the States have the duty to educate and to train all of the civilian population in order to promote and encourage respect for this right.

The ICRC meanwhile, provides protection and assistance to victims of armed conflict and other situations of violence, provides humanitarian assistance in emergency situations, and work to promote respect for international humanitarian law and its integration in national legislation.