Dr. Vincent Chetail
Head of Research Department

The Research Department seeks to lead and promote high level research in the different areas of expertise of the UCIHL. These research areas are:

• international humanitarian law (IHL);
• the law of collective security and peacekeeping;
• human rights;
• international criminal law;
• the law of refugees and internally displaced persons.

The Research Department intends to contribute to a better understanding of the challenges facing IHL and the other branches of law relating to armed conflicts and states of emergency. The ultimate objective is to engage in far-reaching and in-depth analyses, which are often missing in domains that are constantly evolving and are subject to the pressures of current events.

Research projects undertaken may be of a short, medium or long-term nature; be in partnership with other international/national organisations; as well as multidisciplinary in their approach. Projects are aimed at academics as well as other international actors concerned, either directly or indirectly, by armed conflict and states of emergency.

Since the creation of the UCIHL, the Research Department has lead two significant research projects on central issues for understanding the maintenance of peace and the rules relating to the conduct of hostilities :

1. The Applicability of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law to International Forces and Transitional Civil Administrations (2002-2003).

2. The Legal Regime Applicable to Targeting Military Objectives in the Context of Contemporary Warfare (2003-2004).

Currently, the Department is overseeing the completion of three other research projects entitled:

1. Globalization, Migration and Human Rights. This project is being carried out in collaboration with the Graduate Institute of International Studies and the Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences of the University of Geneva (2004-2006);

2. The protection of civilian populations subject to the power of a foreign army: The link between the international law of military occupation and of human rights; (2005-2007)

3. An analysis of state practice relating to human rights norms applicable in times of armed conflicts (2006)

A fourth research project will begin in April 2006 on the following subject: IHL and the challenges raised by terrorism.

The Research Department will also shortly be undertaking research on the following topics:

• respect for IHL;
• the protection of health under IHL;
• respect for the rule of law in post-conflict situations;
• the protection of children in armed conflicts;
• international criminal justice and peacekeeping.

Head of Research Department Vincent Chetail Research Team Sylvain Vité Stuart Maslen Mélanie Jeanroy