Photo credit: OZinOH, “National Wine Centre IMG_7457,” (CC BY-NC 2.0).

Event Description

International humanitarian law (IHL), the body of law that seeks to limit suffering in war, has been under increased and near-constant scrutiny over the past decade. Some argue that IHL should be subsumed under national security law, which they argue is a more robust and effective framework to deal with evolving security challenges posed by global terrorism, new technologies, and armed actors who appear to reject any international law-based restrictions on armed conflict. Others believe that the law of armed conflict should be seen as part of human rights law, which they see as primarily dedicated to protecting individual rights against state power. Others again recognize a special place for IHL as a distinct area that needs to stand in its own right in order to be effective and retain its balance between humanitarian imperatives and military necessity.  Each perspective envisions a very different future for the role of IHL in regulating armed conflict and in protecting civilians. Naz Modirzadeh’s oration will explore these themes, this battle over the future of IHL and the key challenges facing those who seek to protect civilians through law.

Red Cross has been intimately connected with the laws of war since it was first established in 1863 and around the world today, in times of peace and conflict, it seeks to promote respect for IHL. In its centenary year, Australian Red Cross welcomes the opportunity to hear from Naz Modirzadeh, one of the world’s most respected thinkers on how the law and its practice can work to protect civilians and others not taking part in the fight.

Audio

Location

Exhibition Hall, National Wine Centre, University of Adelaide
Corner of Botanic and Hackney Roads
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia 5000

Time

Tuesday, October 14th, 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. (Adelaide time: (GMT +9:30))

More Information

Link.