A component of national defence consisting in measures and activities to counter dangerous situations caused by

  1. natural disaster;
  2. national or international crisis;
  3. armed conflict.

These measures and activities are intended to regulate the functioning of the central and peripheral organization of telecommunications, transport, the economy, and energy resources. They also deal with the psychological aspects of such situations, maintenance of public order (where appropriate by the assumption of civilian powers by the military authorities), protection of the civilian population, etc.

See Military service; Religious personnel; Loss of protection; Precautions against the effect of attacks;  

 OUTLINE

Chapter 9, 14. Civil defence

 LEGAL SOURCE

PI, 61

PI, 62

PI, 63

PI, 64

PI, 65

PI, 66

PI, 67

PI, Annex I, Art. 15-16

 CASES

Iran/Iraq, UN Security Council Assessing Violations of International Humanitarian Law

Israel/Gaza, Operation Cast Lead

Case Study, Armed Conflicts in Sierra Leone, Liberia and Guinea (1980-2005)

ECHR, Jaloud v. The Netherlands

 BIBLIOGRAPHIC RESOURCES

 JAKOVLJEVIC Bosko, New International Status of Civil Defence, Geneva/The Hague, Henry-Dunant Institute/M. Nijhoff, 1982, 142 pp.   JEANNET Stéphane, “Civil Defence 1977-1997: From Law to Practice”, in IRRC, No. 325, December 1998, pp. 715-723.   SCHULTZ E., Civil Defence in International Law, Copenhagen, Danish National Civil Defence and Emergency Planning Directorate, 1977, 59 pp.