The IHL Centre provides ad hoc legal analysis, capacity strengthening and humanitarian advocacy support in conflict-affected contexts globally. Current and past engagements have included Ukraine, Myanmar and Colombia.
IHL training, research, and advocacy across conflict-affected contexts globally
In addition to our dedicated regional programmes in Israel/Palestine, the Middle East and Africa we also engage in a range of conflict-affected and rapidly evolving contexts where there is a need for specialised IHL expertise, practical legal analysis and protection-focused support. Our work in these special contexts is shaped by humanitarian needs and opportunities for impact. These engagements are tailored to the needs of each context and may be delivered through targeted partnerships, specific projects or ad hoc advisory support.
These contexts are all characterised by significant civilian protection concerns and rapidly changing operational environments, but often receive less sustained humanitarian attention than their needs warrant. They therefore share a common need for specialised IHL support. In some contexts, such as Myanmar and Colombia, protracted conflicts risk becoming overlooked as global attention shifts elsewhere. In others, such as Ukraine, international engagement has increasingly focused on military assistance, reconstruction and political integration, while humanitarian actors continue to face complex civilian protection and legal challenges.
The IHL Centre's tailored approach enables us to respond flexibly to these situations by providing targeted legal expertise, practical tools and advisory support without necessarily establishing a permanent regional presence in these contexts.
Our approach
Advisory services and capacity building
Through our IHL Advisory Service and other initiatives, we provide expert legal advice, mentoring, workshops and tailored training programmes to strengthen understanding and application of IHL among humanitarian, civil society, diplomatic and other relevant actors.Stockholm Manual
We support practitioners to engage with the Stockholm Manual as a practical framework for documenting incidents, conducting legal assessments, analysing civilian harm and strengthening evidence-based humanitarian advocacy. The Manual provides accessible methodologies and tools that can be adapted to a wide range of operational environments.Legal analysis and rapid assessments
Our team produces independent legal analysis on emerging humanitarian concerns, including rapid assessments of developments during armed conflicts. These analyses help humanitarian organisations and decision-makers understand the legal implications of specific incidents, patterns of harm and broader conflict dynamics.Conflict classification and monitoring
Accurate conflict classification is essential for understanding the applicability of international humanitarian law. We support stakeholders through legal analysis and by promoting resources such as War Watch, which provides independent analysis of armed conflicts and their classification under international law.
A case study
Ukraine
Through partnerships with humanitarian and civil society organisations, the Centre has contributed to efforts aimed at strengthening protection advocacy and enhancing the practical application of IHL in Ukraine. This has included training, advisory support and the promotion of tools that enable organisations to better analyse and respond to civilian harm concerns.
In 2025, the IHL Centre organised a workshop in Kyiv bringing together humanitarian and civil society practitioners to strengthen the use of IHL in protection advocacy. Participants explored practical approaches to analysing civilian harm, documenting incidents, engaging with authorities and applying legal frameworks to humanitarian protection challenges. The workshop also introduced participants to the Stockholm Manual and examined inclusive approaches to civilian protection.
The Ukraine engagement reflects the Centre’s broader approach to special contexts: providing practical, context-specific support that helps humanitarian actors strengthen protection outcomes and advance respect for IHL in situations of armed conflict.