Middle East Unit

The core strength of the Unit lies in its context-sensitive and operational approach to IHL. The team’s legal advisors combine strong expertise in international humanitarian law with deep regional and operational experience, allowing the Unit to provide legal analysis and guidance that is tailored to the realities, sensitivities, and humanitarian challenges faced across the Middle East. 

Through close engagement with actors on the ground, the Unit works to make IHL more understandable, accessible, and operationally relevant in rapidly evolving conflict environments.  

The Unit provides free and confidential IHL advisory services and regularly supports humanitarian responders and organizations on a broad range of issues related to IHL and humanitarian action in conflict settings. This includes legal and operational questions arising from armed conflicts, humanitarian response, civilian protection, accountability processes, and other emerging humanitarian and legal challenges affecting the region. 

Alongside its advisory work, the Unit develops legal analyses, practical guidance materials, and accessible resources aimed at supporting humanitarian and local actors working in complex environments. Recognizing the importance of accessibility and outreach, resources are developed in practical and user-friendly formats, including webinars, technical briefings, legal explainers, trainings, and Q&A series in both English and Arabic. See below our most recent publications, legal analyses, and regional resources. 

Strengthening regional understanding of IHL remains a core component of the Unit’s work. The team regularly organizes trainings, workshops, technical meetings, and capacity-strengthening initiatives for humanitarian workers, lawyers, legal practitioners, civil society organizations, students, journalists, and other stakeholders across the region.