Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights

Geneva Academy of International humanitarian law and Human Rights
Académie de droit international humanitaire et de droits humains à Genève
Villa Moynier
Established	2007 (2007)
Academic affiliation	University of Geneva; The Graduate Institute
Location	Geneva, GE, Switzerland
Director	Prof. Robert Roth
Website	www.geneva-academy.ch

The Geneva Academy of international Humanitarian Law and Human Rights (French: Académie de droit international humanitaire et de droits humains à Genève) is a postgraduate joint center (between the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies) located in Geneva, Switzerland. The faculty includes professors from both founding institutions and guest professors from major universities .^[1]

The alumni include many actors of the humanitarian world, executives of various organizations across the world and foreign affairs executives.^[2] The school has a diverse student body of a cosmopolitan character due to its 80 percent intake of international students.^[3] It is located on the shores of the Lake Geneva (lac Léman) blocks from the United Nations headquarters in Europe, and the Palace of Nations as well as the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.

Its building is located in the Villa Moynier building who was originally built in 1847 and owned by Gustave Moynier, co-founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

History

The University Center for International Humanitarian Law (CUDIH), founded in 2002 by the Law Faculty of the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International Studies (now Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (IHEID)), provided training of a high academic standard. The center conducted and promoted scientific research within the fields of International Humanitarian Law and other branches of International law relating to situations of armed conflict and states of emergency. It was directed by professor Louise Doswald-Beck from 2002 until 2007. Its headquarters were located by the University of Geneva (UNIGE).

In 2007, the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights replaced the University Center for International Humanitarian Law. It is currently directed by Professor Andrew Clapham and Professor Paola Gaeta.

In August 2014, Prof. Robert Roth was appointed Director of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.^[4]

Degree programmes

LL.M in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights^[5]

This 12-month program covers all branches of international law applicable to armed conflicts including core courses such as Public international law, International humanitarian law, International human rights law, International Refugee law and International criminal law. It is also formed of additional optional courses such as the UN and the emerging culture of the end of impunity, the special rules of protection in armed conflict and the repression of International crimes by national courts. The Geneva Academy has conducted 11 consecutive years of the LL.M in International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights so far and holds over 500 alumni.^[6]

Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict^[7]

The Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict is a program composed of 60 ECTS credits, awarded by the University of Geneva and recognized as a part of higher education in the pan-European system. The program is designed to enable participants to apply such specialized knowledge with regard to their professional work, which may relate to issues of armed conflict or transnational justice legal issues. The Executive Master in International Law in Armed Conflict has conducted its third consecutive year since its creation in October 2011.

Training programmes

The Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian law and Human Rights offers a range of training programs for professionals working on legal issues related to armed conflicts. The trainings are designed for human rights advocates, staff of NGOs and national human rights institutions, representatives of governments, staff of UN bodies and other international organizations as well as members of the academia.

List of trainings available at the Academy:

• Training on Understanding Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• International Weapons Law Training
• Training on the Rights of Peasants
• The Antonio Cassese Summer School in Transitional Justice

Research

The Geneva Academy provides in-depth research and policy studies in the fields of international norms in armed conflict, human rights, policy issues and international humanitarian law.

Special projects^[8]

• Weapons Law Encyclopaedia Project^[9]
• Violent non-state actor and the protection of civilians
• Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts
• Project on Economic, social and cultural rights
• Project on Transitional justice

Policy Studies^[10]

• The RULAC War Report
• The Counter-terrorism Legislation project
• International Code of Conduct for PSSP and oversight mechanism
• UN Human Rights Council
• Arms Trade Treaty Project
• Standards of Proof in Fact Finding
• Protection of Education in Armed Conflict and Insecurity
• Counter-piracy
• Weapons Law
• Projects on Non-Kinetic Energy Weapons

Furthermore, the Geneva Academy is home to the Swiss Chair of International Humanitarian Law, currently held by Professor Noam Lubell, Professor of International Law of Armed Conflict, in the School of Law, University of Essex, UK.^[11]

Publications

The Academy holds a number of publications drafted by the researchers of the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights as well as selected external experts, in order to inform and help better understand the legal implications of contemporary issues related to International Law in Armed Conflict.

Academy Briefings^[12]

• Briefing no. 1: Counter-piracy under International Law
• Briefing no. 2: Draft Arms Trade Treaty
• Briefing no. 3: The Arms Trade Treaty
• Briefing no. 4: The International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers
• Briefing no. 5: Facilitating Peaceful Protests
• Briefing no. 6: Which transfers will the arms trade treaty ban?
• Briefing no. 7: Foreign Fighters Under International Law
• Briefing no. 8: Autonomous Weapons Systems Under International Law

Academy In-Briefs^[13]

• In-Brief No.1: The Independence of Treaty Bodies’ Members
• In-Brief No. 2: The optional protocol to the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights
• In-Brief No. 3: Reprisals against Human Rights Defenders who cooperate with the United Nations System
• In-Brief No. 4: The Situation of Women’s Rights 20 Years after the Vienna World Conference on Human Rights
• In-Brief No. 5: Negotiation of a United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Peasants and Other People Working in Rural Areas

Academy Policy Briefings^[14]

• Policy Briefing no.1: Reactions to Norms Armed Groups and the Protection of Civilians

Books published by Cambridge University Press

• Weapons under International Human Rights Law, Edited by Dr. Stuart Casey-Maslen^[15]

Books published by Oxford University Press

• The War Report 2013, Stuart Casey-Maslen^[16]
• The War Report 2012, Stuart Casey-Maslen^[17]
• Economic, Social, and Cultural Rights in International Law. Contemporary Issues and Challenges, Edited by Eibe Riadel, Gilles Giacca, and Christophe Golay^[18]
• International Criminal Law: Cases and Commentary, Paola Gaeta, the late Antonio Cassese, Guido Acquaviva, Mary Fan, and Alex Whiting^[19]
• Brierly's Law of Nations, Andrew Clapham^[20]
• Human Rights in Times of Conflict and Terrorism, Louise Doswald-Beck
• The Convention on Cluster Munitions: A Commentary, Gro Nystuen / Stuart Casey-Maslen
• The UN Genocide Convention A Commentary, Paola Gaeta
• Post-Conflict Peacebuilding A Lexicon, Vincent Chetail

Books published by Editions Bruylant

• L'eau et la guerre. Eléments pour un régime juridique, Mara Tignino
• Droit à l'alimentation et accès à la justice, Christophe Golay
• Immunités et violations graves des droits humains, Annyssa Bellal
• Lexique de la consolidation de la paix, Vincent Chetail
• Le droit de l’occupation militaire Perspectives historiques et enjeux juridiques actuels, Robert Kolb & Sylvain Vité

Henry Dunant Prize

The Prize has been awarded annually since 2005 by the Foundation Prix Henry Dunant,^[21] together with the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights. It is awarded to the most impressive academic work in the field of Human Rights in Armed Conflict aiming to renew the ideals and commitment of Henry Dunant and to sensitize and motivate young people to contribute to the dissemination of the international rules protecting the victims of armed conflicts and states of emergency.

Since 2005, each year a paper and students has been awarded a Prize Henry Dunant:^[22]

• Henry Dunant 2014: Oykü Irmakkesen " The notion of Armed Attack under the UN Charter and the Notion of International Armed Conflict – Interrelated or Distinct? "
• Henry Dunant 2013: Maria Giovanna Pietropaolo " Humanitarian Assistance from the Standpoint of the Human Rights of the Disaster-Affected Individuals : Present and Future Perspectives "
• Henry Dunant 2012: Camille Jacquot " Le statut des détenus de Guantanamo capturés en Afghanistan au regard du droit international humanitaire et du droit international des droits de l'homme: quelle protection dans le cadre de la "guerre contre le terrorisme?" ".
• Henry Dunant 2011: Antoine P. Kaboré " Les boucliers humains volontaires participent-ils directement aux hostilités ? Analyse à la lumière du Guide interprétatif du CICR sur la participation directe aux hostilités ".
• Henry Dunant 2010: Michael SiegristUne approche fonctionnelle du début de l’occupation militaire "
• Henry Dunant 2009: Géraldine Ruiz " Elusive Law? Air Bombardment, the Principle of Distinction and Proportionality in Attack: Conceptual Challenges and Contemporary Issues ".
• Henry Dunant 2008: Stéphanie Bouchié de Belle " The Human Shields in International Humanitarian Law: An Analysis "
• Henry Dunant 2007: Jonathan Somer " Incitement, Instigation, Hate Speech and War Propaganda in International Law "
• Henry Dunant 2005: Maya Brehm " Conventional Arms Transfers in the Light of Humanitarian and Human Rights Law ".
• Henry Dunant 2003: Fondation Hirondelle, for its accomplishments in information management in crisis zones.

Villa Moynier

Geneva Villa Moynier

The Geneva Academy (Villa Moynier) building was originally built in 1847 and owned by Gustave Moynier, co-founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross. It later held the League of Nations in 1926 and the International Committee of the Red Cross Headquarters between 1933 et 1946. It holds a symbolic significance and is currently hosting the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law as well as the LL.M. in International Dispute Settlement.

References

External links

• Geneva Academy
• University of Geneva
• The Graduate Institute, Geneva