In the national and international contexts in which humanitarian emergencies unfold, the legal situation is often highly complex and even contradictory. Actors may attempt to manipulate the law to present their actions in the best light possible or to discredit others. Humanitarian projects can become entangled in this situation – to steer a clear path, humanitarian workers need a good legal grounding.

Human rights, applicable everywhere, is pertinent for the societies in which humanitarian action takes place as well as the behaviour of humanitarian actors.  International humanitarian law strongly impacts the rights and responsibilities of humanitarian organisations.  Other branches of the law also influence, directly or indirectly, the actions of humanitarian workers, who may be called upon to cooperate with legal institutions such as, for example, the International Criminal Court.  It is therefore important to have a detailed knowledge of and fresh perspective on the legal environment in which humanitarian action takes place, in order to better understand the interaction between rights and humanitarian action and to develop a critical analysis of the legal tools available to humanitarian professionals.

What you can expect from this course

If you are a humanitarian professional or work in an international organisation, this course will enable you to extend your knowledge of law applied to humanitarian action. 

If you are a legal professional working outside the humanitarian sector, this course will enable you to familiarise yourself with the legal specificities of humanitarian practice and the law’s application in the field of humanitarian intervention.   

Course contents

During the six weeks of the course, the following themes will be addressed:

• Human rights and humanitarian action
• International humanitarian law in action
• Law and rights related to migration
• Women and children's rights in humanitarian crises
• Law and humanitarian action in relation to prisons
• Law and the end of crises
• International criminal law and transitional justice

The detailed programme will be available in autumn 2012.