Lund/Brussels, 10 March 2026 — The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) is pleased to announce that the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Monitoring Database (ICMD) is receiving support from the European Union (EU)’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations (ECHO).
International Humanitarian Law must be respected, always and everywhere. This is why initiatives like ICMD are so important.” – Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality; Preparedness and Crisis Management
Now co-funded by the European Union through ECHO, the continued development and implementation of ICMD supports strengthened understanding of compliance with IHL and contributes to principled, needs-based, and evidence-driven humanitarian action.
“The European Union is the world’s number one humanitarian donor. While others slash their support, we continue to stand with women, children and families in greatest need. In today’s information wars, truth is under attack. Humanitarian diplomacy needs facts we can trust, not spin,” said Hadja Lahbib, European Commissioner for Equality, Preparedness and Crisis Management. “That’s why the European Union is investing in something powerful: evidence. Facts still matter. They are what stand between law and lawlessness, humanity and chaos. International Humanitarian Law must be respected, always and everywhere. This is why initiatives like ICMD are so important.”
Launched in October 2024, ICMD is a collaborative initiative led by RWI. It aims to collect, centralise, and analyse information on incidents with IHL implications, contributing to improved understanding, policy development, and accountability.
The current project phase focuses on research, consultation, and pilot activities designed to improve the availability, structure, and analysis of information related to incidents with IHL implications. It forms part of RWI’s broader mandate to promote respect for international humanitarian law and to support accountability and protection in situations of armed conflict.
“We are grateful for the European Union’s continued commitment to principled humanitarian action, respect for international humanitarian law, and the protection of civilians,” said Peter Lundberg, Executive Director of RWI. “Support for ICMD reflects the importance of collective, evidence-based efforts to uphold humanitarian norms. We also value the diverse engagement of public and private partners who contribute to this work, and we welcome continued collaboration to strengthen shared understanding and accountability.”
With this funding decision, the EU joins Luxembourg, Ireland, New Zealand, Mexico, and Colombia in supporting the continued development of ICMD. RWI strongly welcomes this expanding coalition and encourages other governments and institutions committed to international humanitarian law to build on the growing momentum in support of ICMD.
For more information about ICMD, visit https://www.icmd.se/.