Beyond Compliance Blog Symposium

Beyond Compliance Symposium: How to prevent harm and need in conflict

Despite the international legal framework designed to protect the population in times of war, armed conflict is inextricably linked to pervasive harm and need experienced by civilians, other protected categories, as well as combatants and fighters. Understanding the everyday negative lived experiences of armed conflict, and their direct and reverberating impacts, are crucial first steps in effectively addressing the need and harm of war. The Beyond Compliance Symposium: How to prevent harm and need in conflict responds to the necessity to reflect on novel avenues of respect-generation and aims to showcase innovative and multi-disciplinary thinking. 

Phase one of the symposium was hosted across the Armed Groups and International Law (AGIL) and Articles of War blogs from September 2024 to February 2025. Phase two starting in April 2025 is solely hosted by Armed Groups and International Law.

The extended symposium invites reflection on the conceptualisation of negative everyday lived experiences of armed conflict, and on legal and extra-legal strategies, including legal compliance and restraint from violence and abuse, that can effectively address harm and need. The contributions draw on expertise across the Beyond Compliance Consortium member organisations and other stakeholders providing a conceptual foundation for the research programme on Building Evidence on Promoting Restraint by Armed Actors.