What is civil defence
The Geneva Conventions and thus give Civil Protection organisations a status which ensured them protection in the accomplishment of their tasks.
civil defence organisation, fire brigade, training, disaster prevention, assistance, flood, safeguard, volontary service, volunteer, humanity, solidarity, impartiality, evaluation, emergency, storm, natural disaster, earthquake, expertise, coordination, rescue, humanitarian law, civil protection, legislation, mission, organisation, staff, training, equipment, finances, international, world civil defence day, training and information material, documentation, disaster management, search and rescue
What is Civil Defence
 The Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law applicable in armed conflicts, held from 1974 to 1977, inscribed the role of Civil Protection in Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions and thus gave Civil Protection organisations a status which ensured them protection in the accomplishment of their tasks and a distinct identification symbol:
  Civil Defence in International Humanitarian Law
 La protection civile dans le droit international humanitaire
In the Commentary on the Additional Protocols of 1977, it is stated, in the introduction to the chapter on Civil Protection that it "has an important place in the effort undertaken by International Humanitarian Law to mitigate the losses, damages and suffering inflicted on the civilian population by the dramatic developments of the means and methods of warfare..."and that"... it was natural for International Humanitarian Law to contribute to promoting Civil Protection, the need and efficacy of which were widely demonstrated particularly during the Second World War and in subsequent conflicts."
 In the terms of Protocol I, the expression "Civil Protection" means the accomplishment of those humanitarian actions intended to protect civilian populations from dangers arising from hostilities or disasters, to assist them in surmounting their immediate effects and to ensure the conditions necessary for their survival. Article 61 of Protocol I lists a certain number of tasks of Civil Protection organisations and defines them, always "for the purpose of the present protocol" (which is applicable in case of armed conflicts), "... even though, as is added in the commentary, "the creation of civil protection organisations should obviously be encouraged in peacetime also".
Civil Protection therefore occupies an important place in International Humanitarian Law and it is essential that Governments, and also public opinion, at the national and international level, actively ensure the dissemination and implementation of International Humanitarian Law relating to Civil Protection.
|
copyright © 1999 - 2008 - ICDO - eMail:
ascl.com
International Civil Defence Organisation
ch. de Surville 10-12
1213 Petit-Lancy
Geneva
SWITZERLAND
|
Tel.: +41 (0)22 879-6969
Fax: +41 (0)22 879-6979
www.icdo.org
|
|
|
