Exploring Humanitarian LawA Teaching Toolkit for Educators
EHL WorkshopCalifornia Council for the Social Studies March 4, 2011Image Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
A World of Conflict
Image Source: Population Action International
• Defining Human Dignity
• What is Exploring Humanitarian Law?
• The Explorations
• EHL Curriculum and Resources
• Bringing EHL into the Classroom
AGENDA
What is Exploring Humanitarian Law?
Exploring ethical & humanitarian issues of armed conflict
Understanding how humanitarian law protects life and human dignity
Making connections between personal and global events
Image Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
What is Exploring Humanitarian Law?
30 hours of activities
Primary source materials
Fits into current lessons
What is Exploring Humanitarian Law?
Who should use EHL?• Middle & high school• Higher ed
Where does EHL fit?• Social studies
• History• Law• Civics• Psychology
• World literature• Gifted programs• At-risk youth programs• International Relations
What is Exploring Humanitarian Law?
Taught in nearly 50 countries worldwide
Image Source: International Committee of the Red Cross
What’s Inside EHL?
Key Concepts:
Human dignity
Obstacles to humanitarianbehavior
No easy answers
Dilemmas
Multiple perspectives
Chain of consequences
Image Source: International Committee of the Red Cross/ A. Gutman
What’s Inside EHL?
High-quality primary source materials including:
News accounts
Testimonials
Photos
Videos
Case studies
Interactive projects
What’s Inside EHL?
Introductory Exploration: Images and Perceptions
The Modules:
Module 1: The Humanitarian Perspective
Module 2: Limits in Armed Conflict
Module 3: The Law In Action
Module 4: Dealing With Violations
Module 5: Responding to the Consequences of Armed Conflict
Closing Exploration: Where Do We Go From Here?
Explorations1A:What can bystanders do?1B: Looking at humanitarian acts1C: A bystander’s dilemma
Module 1: The Humanitarian Perspective
How Can You Use EHL?
Image Source: Will Counts
There is always a moment when the moral choice is
made. Often because of one story
or one book or oneperson, we are able to make a different choice, a choice
for humanity, for life.
-Elie Wiesel
A lack of protest can confirm the perpetrators’ faith in what they are doing.- Ervin Staub
Use of Quotes
1B: Humanitarian Acts
Explorations2A : Limiting the devastation of war2B: Codes and traditions over time2C: Focus on child soldiers2D: Focus on weapons2E: Widespread availability of weapons
Module 2: Limits in Armed Conflict
2A Photo Collage
Basic Rules of IHL
At all times
During armed conflict
IHL
Protection of:• Civilians• Combatants out
of combat• Wounded & sick• Prisoners
HR
Freedom of:• Education• Religion• Speech• Movement
Prohibition of:• Torture• Degrading
treatment• Violence to
life/person• Hostage taking
Right to life
IHL and Human Rights Law
The captive is your brother. It is by the grace of God that he is in your hands and working for you. Since he is at your mercy, see that he is fed and clothed as well as you are. Do not demand from him work beyond his
strength. - The Prophet Mohammed (570-632AD)
Use of Quotes
2B: Refer to Codes and Traditions
Explorations3A: Identifying violations of IHL3B: From the perspective of combatants3C: Who is responsible for respecting IHL?3D: A case study: My Lai - What went wrong? What went right?
Module 3: The Law in Action
3A: Dealing with violations
3A: Dealing with violations
Dilemmas
Dilemma Worksheet
1) Form discussion groups to watch the following two video clips. How do IHL and humanrights law apply to the unrest in Libya and the response of the Libyan government?
Libya - Fighter Jets Ordered To Fire On Protesters- Air Force Commanders Defect !!!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lm2LSUdAB74&NR=1
Libya warplanes bombing Tripoli-resident (21 Febuary 2011):http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucNHrwKvreE&NR=1
Make up a list of the IHL and “hard core” human rights laws that you think have been violatedin the situations portrayed in these videos.
When IHL and Core IHRL are Violated..RB example
Explorations4A: Rationales and options for dealing
with IHL violations4B: Judicial options4C: Non-judicial options
Module 4: Dealing with Violations
4A: Dealing with violations
Dealing with violations of IHL and Core IHRL..RB Example
• 2) Next, watch what President Obama and the Secretary General of the United Nations had to say about the Libyan government’s actions:
• Obama breaks silence, condemns Libya crackdown• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PS2WERGGv54
• What are these world leaders talking about? What international laws do they say Col. Gaddafi and his followers have broken?
• The United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the violations of IHL and core IHRL by Co. Gaddafi and his government:
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sysbDMAuUx4&feature=related
• What consequences is this Security Council Resolution preparing to put in motion?
Explorations5A: Needs that arise from the devastation of war5B: Planning a camp for people displaced by war5C: Focus on protecting prisoners5D: Focus on restoring family links5E: Ethics of humanitarian action
Module 5: Responding to the Consequences of Armed Conflict
What are the basic human needs?
Needs that arise from the devastation of war
• What are the resources that have been lost or destroyed?
• What are the resulting needs of people impacted by war or disaster?
Forced to Flee
• You are a family or group of neighbors
• Your area is under devastating attack
• You must leave now in order to save your lives
• You do not know where you will be going and whether you will be able to return
• You have only 10 minutes to prepare to leave; what do you take with you?
• Watch: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucNHrwKvreE&NR=1
5B Photo Collage
Planning a Refugee Camp in Tunisia
PLAN AN EMERGENCY REFUGEE CAMP IN TUNISIA, ALONG THE LIBYAN BORDER BASED ON THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO:
Watch the interview on Democracy Now with a Representative of Human Rights Watch on the Tunisia/Libya Border about the approximately 40,000 refugees, mostly migrant workers from Egypt and Tunisian, who have escaped from the violence in Libya to Tunisia. http://www.democracynow.org/2011/2/28/as_death_toll_grows_100_000
Planning a Refugee Camp in Tunisia (cont.)
• Approximately 20,000 of these refugees are Egyptians.
• They have been in Tunisia for several days. • The Egyptian migrant worker refugees
cannot yet return to Egypt because the interim government in Egypt has not been able to prepare for evacuation of all their nationals.
• They are living in tents in cold, rainy weather and becoming very frustrated.
• Plan a refugee camp to meet their most basic needs.
Points to Consider: RB Note
• There are a large group of Tunisian nationals who need help to get home to their families in various parts
of Tunisia. • There are a large group of Egyptians who cannot go anywhere just now. • There are other refugees whose situations are more individual. • All the refugees need to make contact with their families so that their families will
know that they are safe.• All need food and shelter and sanitation until they can go somewhere else. • The Tunisians need help reuniting with their families. • The Egyptians need help to stay where they are until the Egyptian government is
able to help them get home, or until things calm down in Libya enough so they can safely return to their jobs.
• There are other refugees who can’t get back home either, or who are hesitant to get too far from Libya in case calm returns and they can return to the jobs they desperately need.
• There are undoubtedly some children, women, elderly people, sick people in the group.
• Tunisia and Egypt have both just been through traumatic overturning of their autocratic governments.
This is good for democracy, but it means that organization and resources are in short supply
just now.
More Points to Consider: RB Note
• There are other refugees who can’t get back home either, or who are hesitant to get too far from Libya in case calm returns and they can return to the jobs they desperately need.
• The refugees from other countries may also need help connecting with resources that can help them get home, maybe even resources provided by their own countries or their families.
• There may be groups within the refugees who see each other as enemies – either because of the conflict in Libya or because of the recent conflict in their own home nation or for other reasons.
• There may be infiltrators from one group or another (supported by the Libyan government, mercenaries, agents of the former Tunisian or Egyptian governments, terrorists of one type or another, escaped criminals, etc.) who are there to create fear and violence or engage in terrorism.
• There are undoubtedly some children, women, elderly people, sick people in the group.
THERE ISN’T TIME!!! RB Exclamation
• OK, so choose a couple of the most immediate needs – Each table can choose an area of need to plan for
• Lets see what we can come up with!
How Others Have done this:
PRETTY
GOOD!
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Exploring Humanitarian Law Program International Services Department
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Professional Development
Connecting EHL: Subject Areas
And Remember…
Exploring Humanitarian Law ProgramInternational Services Department
American Red Cross, NHQ 2025 E Street, NW
Washington, DC 20006 [email protected]/ehl
Image Source: Left –International Committee of the Red Cross; Right – International Committee of the Red Cross/M. Kokoîc