Book chapter: Gentian Zyberi, 'Towards the Effective Enforcement of International Humanitarian Law' in Gerd Oberleitner (ed), Human Rights Institutions, Tribunals, and Courts - Legacy and Promise (Springer 2018).
This chapter critically assesses the enforcement system of international humanitarian law (IHL), also referred to as the law of armed conflict (LOAC) or jus in bello. Enforcement involves a variety of measures, which can be aimed at ensuring observance of IHL through education and awareness raising, at assigning responsibility for serious violations through courts or other mechanisms, or providing reparations for serious IHL violations to affected individuals or States. After discussing several factors that are aimed at inducing compliance with IHL, this chapter focuses on implementation at the three levels, domestic, regional, and international.