When Water Is Targeted, Civilian Survival Is at Risk

In situations of armed conflict, the destruction or disruption of water services is rarely incidental. It acts as a silent multiplier of harm, deepening humanitarian crises, accelerating displacement, and undermining civilian resilience long after hostilities end.

In a newly published article in the International Review of the Red Cross, Caroline Pellaton and Tadesse Kebebew (Geneva Water Hub), together with David Kaelin from the International Committee of the Red Cross, analyse how International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is designed to protect water in armed conflict — and why documenting the long-term and often invisible impacts of water insecurity has become critical for civilian protection and accountability.

The article highlights three key messages:

• Water is not merely infrastructure; it is a civilian lifeline protected under IHL
• The humanitarian and societal impacts of water disruption remain vastly under-documented
• Robust data and evidence are essential to prevention, protection, and legal accountability

For the Geneva Water Hub, this research speaks directly to our work at the intersection of water, peace, and the protection of civilians. Evidence is not academic: it shapes policy decisions, informs humanitarian action, and strengthens respect for international law.

📖 Read the article: https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/international-review-of-the-red-cross

How can humanitarian, legal, and water actors strengthen the documentation — and prevention — of these often invisible impacts?