The Relationship between International Humanitarian Law and International Human Rights Law: An Analytical Study in the Protection of Human Dignity

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between International Humanitarian Law (IHL) and International Human Rights Law (IHRL) as two branches of public international law that converge on a single overarching aim: protecting human beings and preserving their dignity, despite differing in origin, temporal scope, and subject matter. Using a descriptive-analytical approach, the study explores the aspects of complementarity and convergence between the two legal regimes, identifies their points of divergence, and examines the position of international courts — particularly the International Court of Justice — on their concurrent application during armed conflict. The research further addresses human dignity as the unifying value and common normative reference underlying both bodies of law, and discusses the principal contemporary challenges to their joint implementation, such as hybrid armed conflicts, occupation, and counter-terrorism. The study concludes with a set of findings and recommendations aimed at strengthening the complementarity between the two legal regimes so as to achieve the highest possible degree of protection for human dignity