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date: 15 December 2019

Abstract and Keywords

This chapter begins with a discussion of the role of Swiss banker Henry Dunant in the genesis of international humanitarian law (IHL). It then assesses the present deficiencies of IHL. This is followed by a discussion of ways to mitigate the devastating effects of armed conflict. It proposes a three-pronged strategy involving the establishment of non-binding guidelines, the creation of effective monitoring mechanisms, and the adoption of mechanisms to indemnify victims of serious violations.

Keywords: human rights law, international law, Henry Dunant, armed conflict, human rights protection

Antonio Cassese

Antonio Cassese (1937–2011) was Professor of International Law at the University of Florence and a member of the Institut de Droit International. He was the first President of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, the first President (1993–97) and presiding judge (1998–2000) of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, the Chairperson of the UN International Commission of Enquiry into Violations of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Darfur (2004), and the President of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon (2009–11).

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