6 Relief Operations

Subject(s):

Responsibility of non-state actors — International criminal law — Armed conflict — Humanitarian intervention

This chapter focuses on relief operations conducted to address humanitarian needs created by armed conflicts. It recognises armed conflict as the principal driver of massive population displacement. The norms related to humanitarian relief have a more general nature with no specific mandate on humanitarian organisations. The chapter then presents the regulations that international humanitarian law (IHL), human rights law, and norms front during humanitarian relief operations and accessing populations in need despite inherent limits. The perspective of armed non-State actors on humanitarian operations revolves around neutrality, impartiality, and independence. The chapter also considers the negative impact on the civilian population of the restrictions and impediments to humanitarian relief operations.