International Humanitarian Law Action Campaign

Program Overview

IHL Action Campaign

Dear Colleague, The American Red Cross IHL Action Campaign is a new program designed to educate youth and young adults about International Humanitarian Law (IHL), the body of law that places basic limits on how war is waged. IHL aims to protect human dignity during times of armed conflict, and to prevent or reduce the suffering and destruction caused by war. The 4 Geneva Conventions and the 2 Additional protocols are at the core of IHL. Educating the public about International Humanitarian Law is a key responsibility "We like the nontradiof the American Red Cross. The IHL Action Campaign uses a peer education model and an active learning process to empower young people to think critically and act on their newfound knowledge of IHL. ~ Central NY Team Member The program aims to teach youth that Even Wars Have Limits and to support their development as problem solvers and compassionate global citizens, able to grapple with ethical dilemmas and global issues.

tional aspect of [the program]that it was interactive.

Our national survey showed that

Almost half of youth have never even heard of the Geneva Conventions or International Humanitarian Law. 59% believe there are times when it is acceptable to torture the enemy. 41% believe there are times when it is acceptable for the enemy to torture captured American prisoners. 56% believe there are times when it is acceptable to kill enemy prisoners in retaliation, if the enemy has been killing American prisoners.

The IHL Action Campaign program has three aims: (1) to increase young peoples knowledge of IHL (2) to influence young peoples attitudes by making them aware of the importance of rules in times of armed conflict, and (3) to inspire them to take action and design a studentled project or Action Campaign to increase community awareness of IHL. In this way, youth and young adults will develop a range of valuable skills, such as critical thinking, facilitation, decision-making and teamwork.

Compete Nationally and Gain Recognition Teams will compete for a chance to present their Action Campaign at the 2nd Annual National IHL Youth Symposium in Washington, D.C., in July 2014. The Symposium will recognize the teams whove designed the most compelling campaigns in the nation.

IHL Action Campaign

How does it work?

Team Leaders are young people below the age of 25 who have been selected to guide and mentor their IHL Action Team throughout the program. Team Leaders are typically recruited from local colleges or universities. They are passionate about empowering other youths and have undergone specialized training provided by the American Red Cross, to successfully implement the program. Team Members are young people between the ages of 14 and 21 who commit to being part of the Team for the duration of the program. We aim to engage a diverse group of participants to be part of this experience. Young people A lot of my family memwith varying backgrounds, skills, interests and life experiences are encouraged to join us! bers are in the military. It

was awesome to learn the rights that my family memTeam Leaders support IHL Action Team Members to bers have.
Learn about IHL principles and values through a ~ Cincinnati Team Member series of six simulation activities called Raid Cross, offered during a one day workshop by the American Red Cross. To find out more, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=L7Scs1jbyLQ

Design and present a youth-led Action Campaign that aims to raise community awareness about a specific IHL issue such as the use of child soldiers, landmines, torture, etc. Team Leaders must commit to: 1. attend a four day training in the fall 2. Lead and guide their Team for the duration of the program. The IHL Action Campaign consists of approximately 20 hours of direct programming that is broken down into weekly, bi-weekly or day-long sessions. Implementation of the IHL Action Campaign will occur during the spring from January to mid April, 2014. Jessica Lane, the Regional Youth and Young Adult Coordinator, is the IHL Action Campaign Program Manager in the Central New York Region. She is the local Point of Contact for all schools, teen programs and Team Leaders participating in the program. Jessica also plays the role of training the Team Leaders, and oversees the monitoring and evaluation of the program. She can be reached via email and telephone: Jessica.Lane@redcross.org, (607)7857207. What do we provide? All program materials Trained IHL Team Leaders, with completed background checks Initial presentation to the school to recruit Team Members Educational Material about IHL

IHL Action Campaign

What do we need from you?

To make this program a success, we ask that you: Choose a method for recruiting members for the IHL Action Team. Your institution could: 1. create an opportunity for the Red Cross to present the program to the young people you serve; 2. recommend a pool of candidates to be part of the program; 3. incorporate the IHL Action Campaign in an existing course like Global Studies, Civics, etc. 4. integrate this program into your institutions regular curriculum as an elective course. Appoint a committed staff member, parent or volunteer to be the Point of Contact (POC) at the school for logistics and communications purposes. Provide a room or space where the IHL Action Team can meet at least once per week. Offer school-wide support and encouragement! We want your institution to be represented at the National IHL Youth Symposium in Washington, DC in June. Young people are capable of achieving this, and so much more with the strong foundation of a supportive community. Keep in mind that Team Leaders and Team Members must commit to actively being part of the Team for the duration of the program (from January April). Please contact Red Cross staff member, Jessica Lane, if you have any questions or if you would like to discuss the criteria above.

BENEFITS
Whats in it for young people?
Empowered to have a better understanding of armed conflict and world issues. Exposure to IHL rules, principles and values. Increased critical thinking and team working skills. Increased skills in designing, planning and implementing a campaign. Fulfillment of service learning requirements.

Whats in it for your school?

Increased youth opportunities for hands-on learning and self-expression. Training and support for your students. Local and national visibility for your school and students. Opportunities for faculty and students to engage in a cross-disciplinary initiative. Opportunity to partner with the American Red Cross on a progressive, cutting-edge program with the potential for a long-term partnership.

If you are interested

A limited number of institutions are being selected to host this program. To explore this opportunity further, please contact Jessica Lane via email Jessica.Lane@redcross.org or by calling (607)7857207.

IHL Action Campaign