By: Manuel Galvis Martinez, Researcher and Thematic Leader of International Humanitarian Law, Lund Office
The Raoul Wallenberg Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law (RWI) convened the first expert consultation on the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Monitoring Database (ICMD), bringing together practitioners, researchers, government, and technical partners to discuss the development of the initiative.
This first consultation helped inform key aspects of the project’s design and pilot development. Participants shared expertise on methodological approaches, data verification, ethical safeguards, and technological solutions relevant to building a reliable system for analysing incidents with international humanitarian law (IHL) implications in armed conflicts.
ICMD is an RWI initiative aimed at collecting, vetting, aggregating, and analysing information on incidents with IHL implications worldwide. By bringing together data from multiple sources, the initiative seeks to identify patterns and trends related to compliance with IHL and contribute to principled, evidence-based humanitarian action.
“Developing the ICMD requires both strong methodological foundations and trusted partnerships,” said Peter Lundberg, Executive Director of the Raoul Wallenberg Institute. “This consultation was an important step forward in bringing together the best possible expertise needed to ensure that the initiative is rigorous, responsible, and useful to the broader humanitarian community.”
The consultation also highlighted the role of cross-sector collaboration in building the initiative’s legal, technical, and analytical framework.
“Complex initiatives like the ICMD benefit greatly from collaboration across disciplines,” said Christine Cederberg, Partner at Deloitte Sweden. “Technological innovation, legal expertise and strong governance frameworks all play a role in ensuring that such tools are both credible and impactful.”
Sue Anne Teo, RWI’s expert on Artificial Intelligence and Human Rights, who has been advising the project, underlined, “As we explore technologies such as artificial intelligence to analyse conflict-related data, it is essential that ICMD’s design and implementation are grounded in human rights principles and strong ethical safeguards.”. She added, “Initiatives like ICMD demonstrate how responsible technology can contribute to strengthening the evidence base around international humanitarian law.”
The consultation forms part of a broader series of expert engagements planned across areas including data methodologies, legal and ethical considerations, information technology and cybersecurity, and engagement with actors on the ground.
Insights from the consultation will inform the next phase of the ICMD’s development and pilot implementation.
Launched in 2024, the International Humanitarian Law Compliance Monitoring Database (ICMD) is a collaborative initiative led by RWI aimed at strengthening understanding of compliance with international humanitarian law and supporting principled humanitarian action.
Learn more about ICMD here.
