ABSTRACT
While the majority of displacements could be prevented by all sides’ adherence to international humanitarian law (IHL), all too often there are serious violations of the rules governing the conduct of hostilities, amplifying the effects of conflict on those caught up in it. Most of the world’s attention on the phenomenon of displacement is focused on refugees, who have crossed into another country. Concerns relating to displacement therefore constitute an important focus of the International Committee of the Red Cross’s dialogue with parties to armed conflicts on the conduct of hostilities, in line with its mandate to ensure respect for IHL. Constraints on humanitarian access also contribute to displacement and to increasing the suffering of those already displaced. Authorities in countries afflicted by armed conflict may often seek to place legal, bureaucratic and practical barriers in the path of international humanitarian actors seeking to help those affected.
