Roundtable held as part of the International Platform for the Progressive Development of IHL
A roundtable entitled “The Activities of the Platform for the Progressive Development of International Humanitarian Law (IHL): Identifying Gaps and Advancing the Modernisation of IHL” was held at the Territory of Memory Genocide Museum in Odesa. The Ukrainian Red Cross co-organised the event, which continued the work of the Platform for the Progressive Development of International Humanitarian Law (the Platform), established in 2025 at the initiative of Ukraine’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Andrii Sybiha.
The roundtable brought together representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, other government institutions, human rights organisations, the academic community, the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement, and leading Ukrainian and international experts in international humanitarian law to discuss current challenges in the progressive development of IHL.
In her opening remarks, Olena Kocherhina, Head of the International Humanitarian Law Unit at the Ukrainian Red Cross, emphasised:
“This discussion is particularly important for the Ukrainian Red Cross, as we work where legal norms meet humanitarian realities. Ukraine’s experience should serve not only as testimony to what has been endured, but also as a foundation for clearer legal norms, stronger institutions and more effective protection.”
The co-chairs of the Platform’s working groups presented the outcomes of their work and discussed future coordination, including advocacy activities and the engagement of new participants in the Platform.
The Platform was established to identify gaps in international humanitarian law, develop proposals for its further advancement based on the experience of the international armed conflict in Ukraine, and promote their integration into the broader framework of IHL. The Ukrainian Red Cross remains committed to supporting initiatives that promote knowledge of international humanitarian law, strengthen its implementation and contribute to its continued development.
