icrc-annual-report-2013

AUTHORITIES, ARMED FORCES AND OTHER BEARERS OFWEAPONS, AND CIVIL SOCIETYThe AFL adapts IHL manuals for its troopsNearly 90 AFL troops bound for Mali or the Ivorian-Liberianborder, and some 300 UNMIL troops, learnt more about IHL andthe ICRC’s mandate during briefings conducted by ICRC-trainedAFL instructors and the ICRC. In the same way, 136 security forcespersonnel and 300 police recruits furthered their understanding ofinternational human rights law, internationally recognized standardson arrest and detention and the ICRC’s activities for detainees.The importance of protecting those seeking or providing medicalcare was impressed upon all weapon bearers briefed.The AFL created an IHL manual for its troops, part of the effortto incorporate IHL modules in training and operations. Some20 instructors and officers, who had attended two joint AFL/ICRC workshops on teaching IHL, adapted this manual forvarious military ranks. One officer attended an advanced IHLcourse in San Remo.Liberia establishes a national IHL committee withICRC supportThe authorities continued to work on integrating IHL into domesticlegislation, notably by taking steps to ensure their capacity toratify/implement and incorporate in domestic legislation IHLtreaties that Liberia had already signed, the Arms Trade Treatybeing the most recent. Parliamentarians and other State officialscontinued adding to their knowledge of IHL through ICRC informationsessions or by participating in regional meetings, includingon arms control treaties (see Abidjan and Nigeria). With technicalsupport from the ICRC, the authorities created a national IHLcommittee; the ten committee members – representing the Justice/Foreign Affairs Ministries and the human rights, law reform andsmall arms commissions – assumed their new duties alreadyknowledgeable about the status of IHL implementation in Liberiaand the implementation process, owing to a workshop and anexercise in drafting a law in connection with the Anti-PersonnelMine Ban Convention. During an ICRC-backed study trip, committeemembers shared experiences/best practices and discussedcooperation on IHL implementation with their counterparts inSierra Leone.RED CROSS AND RED CRESCENT MOVEMENTNational Society steps up activities with ICRC helpThe National Society, acknowledging the changing humanitarianenvironment, gradually assumed more responsibility for humanitarianaction in the country, with ICRC support. It took active partin water/sanitation, economic security and family-links activities(see Civilians), gaining practical experience for undertaking suchendeavours independently. However, the National Society couldnot develop monitoring systems for its previous livelihood supportprojects with the ICRC, owing to administrative constraints.Volunteers were better prepared to respond to emergencies andaccess violence-prone areas, following training in the Safer AccessFramework/first aid, and the provision of financial support for theNational Society’s emergency response team and of emergencystocks to branches. With ICRC help, the National Society resumedits weekly radio programme, through which it raised awareness ofand support for IHL and Movement activities in Liberia.The National Society, with support from the Movement, strengthenedits statutes, organizational structure and management,by attending the Council of Delegates, implementing financialreforms and earning money by conducting first-aid courses forNGOs. Movement components in Liberia avoided duplication byregularly coordinating their activities.Journalists report on Movement activities after learningabout IHL and the ICRC’s mandateSome 70 journalists furthered their understanding of IHL throughtwo information sessions; others learnt about ICRC activitiesthroughout the world via news articles given to them. A competitionon humanitarian reporting, organized with the Press Unionof Liberia, and National Society-facilitated field trips encouragedand helped journalists produce more in-depth featureson humanitarian issues and draw attention to the Movement’sactivities. Thus, local authorities, members of civil society andthe public learnt about humanitarian issues and Movement activitiesfrom journalists who already had a basic knowledge of IHLand the ICRC’s mandate, as well as through ICRC briefings andNational Society communication efforts (see Red Cross and RedCrescent Movement).The ICRC sought to encourage universities to introduce IHLcourses into their curricula, for example, by helping them exploreways to overcome the scarcity of resources and other obstacles.The national moot court competition did not take place, owing toadministrative constraints.162 | ICRC ANNUAL REPORT 2013