The first section of this paper examines the relationship between human rights law and international humanitarian law (IHL). It suggests that IHL is fundamentally pragmatic, intended to limit the suffering that war inflicts but not in itself to protect the more ambitious claims of human rights. On the other hand, human rights law deals primarily with the relationship between the individual and the state during peacetime. As a result, there is a risk that those suffering from human rights abuses during situations of conflict and violent insecurity may be left without effective protection in international law. This paper suggests that more needs to be done to adapt human rights instruments to these contexts, and draws on examples of recent legal initiatives to extend human rights protections to the victims of conflict and insecurity.
