The “Reclaiming the Protection of Civilians under International Humanitarian Law” initiative was launched in 2009 to create a forum for a dialogue. The initiative was concluded by a Global Conference in Oslo on May 23 and 24, 2013, gathering experts from States, international organisations, civil society as well as other relevant actors.

During the sessions The major issues on the agenda were the terrible suffering inflicted on civilian populations across the globe and the need of honest and open-minded discussion on how to improve the protection of civilians affected by armed conflicts.

The aim of this initiative was not to negotiate new legal obligationsbut to discuss and identify practical measures that may be taken by both military and civilian actors to ensure full compliance with existing IHL obligations.

The protection to victims of armed conflict and armed of violence in general is one of the central issues That SEHLAC concentrates. Considering the significant influence of this problem in the region of Latin America, Hector Guerra and Mario Alberto Quiñones Noriega, both members of SEHLAC, attended the Conference as representatives of the respective region.

Translated by Liana Sukonova (APP)