Better respect for International Humanitarian law (IHL), including through improved national implementation and enhanced knowledge of IHL

Better respect for IHL, including through improved national implementation and enhanced knowledge of IHL among Belgian policy makers and (future) professionals. Belgian Red Cross-Flanders (BRC-Fl), according to her legal mandate as auxiliary to the Belgian authorities in the humanitarian field1, focuses on creating conditions for better respect for IHL, based on its longstanding experience with and knowledge of IHL and the support of the its network for further expertise. In this program, BRC-Fl continues with and strengthens the approach taken in the previous one. It takes into account various lessons learned, as well as societal shifts such as the accelerated digitalization. The focus will lay on the following objectives: • Improved national framework and policy on IHL: BRC-Fl will support the authorities in the implementation of IHL by delivering technical expertise and submitting concrete proposals to reinforce the national legal framework. Through the advocacy work of BRC-Fl on several priority themes aims to reinforce the Belgian policy positions related to IHL. • Enhanced IHL knowledge among policy makers and (future) professionals: BRC-Fl provides a variety of trainings, continuously adapted to fit the needs of the target groups. BRC-Fl offers them essential tools to apply the theoretical framework in their respective work, in favor of better respect for IHL. In support of this intervention, BRC-Fl will strive to strengthen IHL expertise by working in close cooperation with universities. • Increased visibility and understanding for IHL in media: Supplementary to these main intervention domains, BRC-Fl proactively communicates about IHL, to better reach the target groups and beyond. BRC-Fl works closely together with, amongst others, la Croix-Rouge de Belgique-Communauté francophone (CRB-Cf), the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement and the Belgian authorities. It aims to continuously improve coherence and complementarity with the Belgian civil society.