Description
Bloomsbury Publishing PLC The International Committee of the Red Cross and its Mandate to Protect and Assist: Law and Practice by Dr Christy Shucksmith
The purpose of this book is to consider the legality of the changing practice of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It provides extensive legal analysis of the ICRC as an organisation legal person and humanitarian actor. In addition to drawing on all relevant branches of international law it also looks to more abstract human-centric concepts including sovereignty as responsibility and human security in order to assess the development of the concept of humanity for the mandate and practice of the ICRC. Critically it uses qualitative interviews with ICRC delegates to test the theoretical and doctrinal conclusions. Ultimately the book concludes that the ICRC is no longer restricted to the provision of humanitarian assistance on the battlefield. It is increasingly drawn into long-term and very complicated conflicts in which civilians soldiers and non-State actors mingle together. In order to remain useful for the people on the ground the ICRC is progressively developing its mandate. This book questions whether on occasion this could ever threaten its promise to remain neutral impartial and independent. In so doing the book provides a unique and critical insight into the work of the ICRC.