Round Table - "The Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructures During and After Armed Conflicts"
- Impact
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List of Participants
Andrea Aeby
Permanent Mission of Switzerland to the United Nations.
Fuad Bateh
Global Water Partnership-Mediterranean.
Laurence Boisson de Chazournes
Faculty of Law, University of Geneva and Member of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, Geneva Water Hub.
Catherine Brölmann
Faculty of Law, University of Amsterdam.
Carl Bruch
Environmental Law Institute and Environmental Peacebuilding Association.
Lucius Caflisch
Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies.
Natasha Carmi
Geneva Water Hub.
Evaristo De Pinho Oliveira
International Committee of the Red Cross.
Daniella Dam de-Jong
Faculty of Law, Leiden University.
Juan Francisco Escudero Espinosa
Faculty of Law, University of Léon and Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.
Nadim Farajalla
Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut.
Laurent Gisel
International Committee of the Red Cross.
Öykü Irmakkesen
Geneva Water Hub and Platform for International Water Law, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva.
Elisabeth Koek
Norwegian Refugee Council.
Robert Kolb
Faculty of Law, University of Geneva.
Amanda Kron
United Nations Environment Programme.
Marja Lehto
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Finland and Special Rapporteur of the International Law Commission on the Protection of the Environment in Relation to Armed Conflicts.
François Münger
Geneva Water Hub
Helen Cecilia Obregon Gieseken
International Committee of the Red Cross.
Richard Pearshouse
Amnesty International.
Marco Pertile
Faculty of Law, University of Trento.
Dominique Porteaud
UNICEF.
Madoka Saji
Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Lena Salame
Geneva Water Hub.
Komlan Sangbana
Platform for International Water Law, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva.
Marco Sassòli
Faculty of Law, University of Geneva.
Michael Talhami
International Committee of the Red Cross.
Mara Tignino
Geneva Water Hub and Platform for International Water Law, Faculty of Law, University of Geneva.
Michel Veuthey
Webster University.
Doug Weir
The Conflict and Environment Observatory.
List of other experts consulted
Michael Bothe
Faculty of Law, Goethe University Frankfurt.
Théo Boutrouche
Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights.
Grieve Timothy
UNICEF.
Britta Sjostedt
Faculty of Law, Lund University.
Jeannie Sowers
College of Liberal Arts, University of New Hampshire.
Erika Weinthal/h3>
Sanford School of Public Policy, Duke University.
This report presents the results of this round table.
This round table generated interest by partners and resulted in the organization of the following events:
- "Water in Armed Conflicts", International Peace Institute Lunchtime Policy Forum Event, on 22 March 2019, organized by The International Peace Institute (IPI), UNICEF and the Geneva Water Hub.
- "Seminar on the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructure in Relation to Armed Conflicts", on 20 March 2019, Washington, D.C. Organized by Geneva Water Hub, Environmental Law Institute, and Environmental Peacebuilding Association
- "The Protection of Water Infrastructure in Relation to Armed Conflicts", World Bank Lunch Discussion, on 18 March 2019, organized by the World Bank Water Global Practice and the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Global Themes Department and the Geneva Water Hub.
The pictures of the event are available below.
The human right to water is well-recognized as a human right that is essential for the full enjoyment of life and all human rights. Access to water can only be ensured through the protection and safe management of water infrastructures. The protection of water infrastructures before, during and after armed conflicts is governed by an elaborate set of provisions contained in instruments of International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, International Environmental Law and International Water Law. However, the implementation of these protective norms remain a major problem in contemporary international and non-international armed conflicts. The severe consequences caused by the targeting of water infrastructures is further aggravated by the proliferation of urban warfare and prolonged armed conflicts.
Following the 2017 recommendations of the Global High-Level Panel on Water and Peace, the Geneva Water Hub and the University of Geneva Platform for the International Water Law have started to draft the Geneva List of Principles on the Protection of Water Infrastructures in September 2018. During the drafting process, the Platform has consulted experts coming from academia, international and non-governmental organizations. Moreover, an Geneva Water Hub experts’ Round Table was held in December 2018.
The Geneva List is a reference document prepared for the use of parties to armed conflicts, international organizations, and other practitioners working in the contexts of armed conflicts, including in pre- and post-conflict situations. It is the first document that systematizes the main rules applicable to the protection of water infrastructures during armed conflicts, specifically in the conduct of hostilities, as well as in pre-conflict and post-conflict situations and set forth good practices.
The programme of the event is available below.
