The Crimes of War Project is a collaboration of journalists, lawyers and scholars dedicated to raising public awareness of the laws of war and their application to situations of conflict. Our goal is to promote understanding of international humanitarian law among journalists, policymakers, and the general public, in the belief that a wider knowledge of the legal framework governing armed conflict will lead to greater pressure to prevent breaches of the law, and to punish those who commit them.

Since 1945, a far-reaching body of law – whose centerpiece is the Geneva Conventions of 1949 – has been laid down to regulate conflict between and within states. In recent years there have been significant developments in the legal mechanisms through which these laws can be enforced. At the same time, changes in international politics have provided, and will continue to provide, challenges to the existing system of international law, provoking debate about whether the law should evolve further to meet new threats to international order.

International humanitarian law often seems an arcane and specialized field of study; its significance and potential force as a tool for fighting human suffering are sometimes obscured. The aim of the Crimes of War Project is to clarify this body of law, and the developments and debates that surround it, for a wider, non-specialist audience. Through our book Crimes of War: What the Public Should Know, and through our website, educational programs and seminars, we hope to:

• Raise the level of understanding about the law among those reporting on war and war crimes.
  
  
• Provide information for journalists, scholars, and the policy community about critical issues in modern armed conflict.
  
  
• Encourage wider appreciation of international law as a framework for understanding and responding to conflicts around the world.
  
  
• Promote consultation among journalists, legal experts and humanitarian agencies about how to increase compliance with international humanitarian law.
  
  
• Provide a forum for accessible debate about the current state of international law, and its application to unfolding events.

The Crimes of War Project was established in 1999. We are a private, non-profit corporation, and our educational and awareness programs in international humanitarian law and the laws of war are funded through philanthropic organizations and individual gifts. The links on the right provide further information about the material available on this site, other CWP programs, and our supporters, directors and staff.