Civil Defence in International Humanitarian Law

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ADVISORY SERVICE
ON INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW
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Civil Defence in International
 Humanitarian Law
Civil defence reflects the desire of those who made international humanitarian law to mitigate the loss, damage and suffering
inflicted on civilians as a result of the dramatic development of the methods and means of warfare. This aim is also reflected
generally in the precautions for the protection of the civilian population in the event of attack, as set out in Protocol I additional of
1977 to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 (Protocol I). The Fourth Geneva Convention for the protection of civilian persons in
time of war already grants civil protection organizations and their personnel 
−
as it does for the National Red Cross and Red
Crescent Societies 
−
the right to pursue their activities under foreign occupation. Protocol I expands the protection for civil
defence organizations to cover all situations of international armed conflict. It guarantees their protection while they carry out
civil defence tasks and provides a distinctive sign to identify them. Though Protocol II of 1977 additional to the Geneva
Conventions of 1949 contains no direct reference to civil defence, the rules regarding that activity should also be complied with
during non-international armed conflict, as part of the general protection accorded to the civilian population against the dangers
resulting from military operations (Art. 13, para. 1). Civil protection represents an essential component of that protection.
What does civil defence consist of?
Civil defence is defined in
international humanitarian law
according to the tasks carried out
rather than the organizations that
carry out those tasks.
Thus, Protocol I (Art. 61) provides a
list of "humanitarian tasks" to be
performed for the following purposes:

 
to protect the civilian population
against the dangers arising from
hostilities or other disasters;

 
to help it to recover from the
immediate effects of such events;

 
to provide the conditions
necessary for its survival.
The list is limited to the 15 following
tasks:

 
warning;

 
evacuation;

 
management of shelters;

 
management of blackout
measures;

 
rescue;

 
medical services – including first
aid – and religious assistance;

 
fire-fighting;

 
detection and marking of danger
areas;

 
decontamination and similar
protective measures;

 
provision of emergency
accommodation and supplies;

 
emergency assistance in the
restoration and maintenance of
order in distressed areas;

 
emergency repair of
indispensable public utilities;

 
emergency disposal of the dead;

 
assistance in the preservation of
objects essential for survival;

 
complementary activities needed
to carry out any of the tasks
mentioned above.