In cooperation with the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University, HPCR International supports a number of research projects related to its work on humanitarian law and policy.

Information Portal on International Humanitarian Law

The International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative Portal, launched in January 2003, offers access to academic and policy oriented materials related to IHL, including timely research and commentary on contemporary challenges to the law. One of the most comprehensive online IHL databases and a leading resource in the dissemination of information on IHL, it has more than 11,000 documents and links. The Portal features original research by the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research at Harvard University, and reflects HPCR International’s support for professional networking tools.

Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law

The High-Level Expert Meetings on Current Challenges to International Humanitarian Law are a series of informal meetings offering experts an opportunity to engage in technical discussions related to the reaffirmation and development of IHL. The aim of these meetings is to promote research and policy activities among the community of academics, practitioners and policymakers working on international humanitarian law. At their core is the undertaking of a survey of the development of the law and an assessment of the need for further research and inquiries on potential gaps and lacunas in the law. Through the initiative come periodic proposals for a research agenda for the IHL legal community composed of a series of themes that participants to the meetings deemed in need of further study.

Air and Missile Warfare

This project aims to make an original and timely contribution to the application of international humanitarian law. The project is motivated by the perception that the use of aerial and missile technology as a strategic means for warfare has developed tremendously in recent years, while the impact of this development has not been adequately reflected in the current legal framework. The project will result in the publishing of a manual and associated commentary on air warfare restating customary international law governing air and missile warfare.

International Humanitarian Law in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory

A companion portal to the IHL Research Portal, this site provides in-depth, balanced and accessible legal analysis on subjects such as the applicability of IHL in the Occupied Palestinian Territory, Israel’s obligations under IHL, and IHL implications of the settlements and the Separation Barrier. It aims to enhance the capacity of the humanitarian community by offering greater access to objective information on IHL and promoting greater acceptability of IHL references among the parties to the conflict.