Summary 5

Key recommendations 6

01 Introduction 7

1.1 The protection of medical care under IHL 8

1.2 About this paper 9

02 The wounded and sick 11

2.1 Who are ‘the wounded and sick’? 11

2.2 What does specific protection entail? 12

2.2.1 The obligation to respect 12

2.2.2 The obligation to protect 14

2.2.2.1 Measures to give effect to protections 16

2.2.3 Prohibition of adverse distinction in treatment 16

2.3 Loss of specific protection 17

2.4 Good practice 18

03 Medical personnel and other healthcare providers 20

3.1 Specific protection of medical personnel 21

3.1.1 Who are ‘medical personnel’? 21

3.1.1.1 Assignment 21

3.1.1.2 Exclusivity 22

3.1.2 What does specific protection entail? 22

3.1.2.1 The obligation to respect 23

3.1.2.2 The obligation to protect 23

3.1.3 The limits of specific protection – not absolute immunity 24

3.2 Loss of specific protection 25

3.2.1 Conduct that leads to loss of specific protection 25

3.2.2 Consequences of loss of specific protection 26