The Al-Haq Centre for Applied International Law conducted a three-day-training course from 13-15 March entitled ‘Liberties and Rights under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL)’. The training which targeted  25 Palestinian lawyers from across the West Bank aimed at combining the theories of international law with the practical application of human rights on the ground.

The training course was comprised of several sessions that tackled various topics such as the history and evolution of IHL and IHRL, principles of IHL, the relation between IHL and IHRL, the protected persons under IHL as well as a review of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) Advisory Opinion on the “Legal Consequences of the Construction of a Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory.” Trainers included Al-Haq’s General Director, Shawan Jabarin, and Al-Haq lawyers Naser Al Rayes and Rafeef Mujahed. 

The Centre, which is based in Ramallah, Palestine and was established in July 2009, is the first Palestinian civil society body specialized in the practical application of international law.  The aim of the Centre is to enhance the capabilities of human rights defenders by providing them with the essential applied knowledge for defending human rights issues at the national, regional and international levels. 

The recent course was the first in a series of training courses that target Palestinian lawyers, with the aim of developing their capacities and skills in the theory and practice of IHL and IHRL.