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National Commissions
ARGENTINA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión de Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CADIH) 

c/o Ministerio de Defensa
Azopardo 250, Piso 13°
1328 Buenos Aires

Tel. +5411 43468877

Established: 1994 

Legal basis: Executive Decree No. 933/94 of 16 June 1994 

Operation: internal regulations

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Interior, and Justice 

Chairmanship: rotating among the participating ministries 

Secretariat: Ministry of Defence

To ensure implementation of international humanitarian law by drawing up laws, regulations and other texts designed to ensure respect for international commitments in this area;

to teach and disseminate international humanitarian law among the military and civilians.

 
BOLIVIA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional Permanente para la aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CNPADIH) 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto
Plaza Murillo, Ingavi esqu. Junín
La Paz

Established: 1992 

Legal basis: Decree No. 23.345 of 2 December 1992; reorganized pursuant to Resolution No. 218.456 of 17 August 1998 issued by the President of the Republic and the Ministry of Justice and Human Rights, which came into force on 30 October 1998 

Operation: internal regulations

Representatives:  Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Interior, Sustainable Development and Planning, Supreme Court, National Congress, Bolivian Red Cross, and academic circles 

Chairmanship and secretariat: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To monitor the dissemination and implementation of international humanitarian law;

to examine internal regulations and any amendments required for the incorporation of provisions of humanitarian law into national legislation, and to propose their approval by the executive and legislative authorities.

 
CANADA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities
Canadian National Committee for Humanitarian Law 

c/o Canadian Red Cross Society
170 Metcalfe St., Suite 300
Ottawa, Ontario

K2P 2P2

Established: 1998 

Legal basis: Memorandum of understanding of 18 March 1998 

Operation: according to terms of reference of 18 March 1998

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Justice, Solicitor-General (represented by Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Canadian Red Cross Society), and Canadian International Development Agency 

Chairmanship: Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade 

Secretariat: Canadian Red Cross Society

To recommend ratification of instruments of international humanitarian law;

to facilitate the implementation of obligations arising from this body of law, in particular by reviewing and advising on national legislation and administrative measures (repression of violations of humanitarian law, protection of the emblems, guarantees for protected persons);

to advise on disseminating and training in international humanitarian law in Canada (aimed at the armed forces, police, civil servants, humanitarian organizations, legal and medical professions, schools and universities, journalists and the public at large);

to coordinate and stimulate activities of the government and other organizations to strengthen and disseminate humanitarian law;

to recommend the adoption of measures to promote national implementation in other States drawing on the resources and expertise available in Canada;

to maintain a pool of personnel with expertise in humanitarian law and ensure links with other national committees and the ICRC.

 
CHILE
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional de Derecho Humanitario (CNDH) 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores, Dirección Jurídica
Catedral 1158
3° Piso, Oficina 339
Santiago
Tel. +562-6794237/8

Fax +562-699-5517

Established: 1994 

Legal basis: Decree No. 1229 of 31 August 1994 

Operation: internal regulations of 1 June 1995

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Interior, Education, Health, Justice, and Culture 

Chairmanship and secretariat:  Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To review and propose to the authorities legislative and administrative measures ensuring the practical implementation of international humanitarian law.

 
COLOMBIA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Intersectorial Permanente para los Derechos Humanos y el Derecho Internacional Humanitario 

c/o Vicepresidencia de la República
Carrera 8 No. 7-27
Bogotá
Tel. +5714442120/2864126

Fax +571 2863589

Established: 2000 

Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 321 of  25 February 2000 

Operation: internal regulations

Representatives: Interior, Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Labour and Social Security, and High Commissioner for Peace 

Chairmanship: Vice-Presidency of the Republic

To orientate, encourage and coordinate the national plan of action adopted in order to promote respect for human rights and the application of international humanitarian law;

to ensure the adoption of national measures and evaluate periodically the progress made;

to consolidate institutional mechanisms for the protection of human rights and international humanitarian law and encourage dissemination to the public;

to promote the amendment of national measures to comply with international treaties to which Colombia is a party and help carry out international commitments;

to analyse the recommendations formulated by international bodies and evaluate means of implementation at the national level;

to promote cooperation between the government and other organizations in order to strengthen respect for human rights and international humanitarian law.

 
COSTA RICA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities
Comisión Costarricense de Derecho Internacional Humanitario

Comisión Costarricense de Derecho Internacional Humanitario Secretaría Ejecutiva
c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores y Culto Dirección Jurídica
Avenida 7, Calles 11 y 13
Casa Amarilla
San José, Costa Rica

Tel:  ++506 233 6625
++506 233 7555, ext. 243
Fax: ++506 233 6625
E-mail: [email protected]

Established: 2004
Legal Basis: Executive Decree N° 32077-RE of May 21, 2004 of the President of the Republic and the Minister of Foreign Relations and Culture, published in the Official Gazette N° 216 of November 4, 2004.

Operation: Comisión Costarricense de Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CCDIH), approved in Regular Session N° 2-05 at 10:45 on February 24, 2005.
Representatives: A head representative and an alternate from the following 16 institutions:

Ministry of Foreign Relations and Culture

Ministry of Public Education

Ministry of Justice

Ministry of Public Security

Ministry of the Presidency

Ministry of Health

Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports

Office of the Attorney General

Supreme Court of Justice (Judicial Branch)

Legislative Assembly (Legislative Branch)

Ombudsman (Defensoría de los Habitantes)

University of Costa Rica

National University

National Council of Rectors

Red Cross of Costa Rica

The Lawyers’ Bar Association of Costa Rica 

Presidency: Carmen Claramunt Garro,
Ministry of Foreign Relations and Culture 

Executive Secretariat: Eugenia María Gutiérrez Ruiz, Ministry of Foreign Relations and Culture

To advise the Executive Branch on issues related to the adoption, application and dissemination of International Humanitarian Law. 

To propose recommendations to the Executive Branch on the measures that should be taken to enforce international legal provisions that are in force related to international humanitarian law.

To suggest to the Executive Branch draft laws and regulations that allow Costa Rica to comply with its international obligations with respect to International Humanitarian Law. 

To promote and to support the dissemination of International Humanitarian Law in state institutions and society in general, and to take the corresponding steps towards this end. 

To attend meetings, seminars and international conferences related to International Humanitarian Law, subject to the approval of the Executive Branch. 

To promote and collaborate with the country’s academic authorities in the incorporation of International Humanitarian Law in study plans and the corresponding curricula content. 

To suggest and promote actions that contribute to the application of and respect for International Humanitarian Law.

 
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional Permanente para la Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario 

c/o Secretaría de Estado de Relaciones Exteriores
Avenida Independencia 752
Santo Domingo
Tel. +1 809 535 6280

Fax +1 809 535 6848

Established: 1995 

Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 131-99 of 30 March 1999  

Operation: internal regulations

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Armed Forces, Education, Culture, Health, Labour, Sports and Leisure, Public Prosecutor's Office, national police, legal office of the executive branch, and the Dominican Red Cross 

Chairmanship: Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs

 

To recommend appropriate measures for better national implementation of international humanitarian law;

to promote draft legislation and regulations for the application of humanitarian law treaties;

to disseminate this body of law among State authorities;

to promote the inclusion of this body of law in official teaching programmes.

 
EL SALVADOR
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comité Interinstitucional de Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CIDIH-ES) 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Edificio 3, 2da. Planta
Centro de Gobierno
San Salvador

Tel. +503 22 24 447

Established: 1997 

Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 118 of 4 November 1997 

Operation: internal regulations

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Interior, Public Security, Justice, Education, Defence, Health, Treasury, Public Prosecutor's Office, Procurator for the Defence of Human Rights, and Salvadorean Red Cross Society 

Chairmanship and secretariat: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To advise the government on measures to be adopted in order to implement, apply, and disseminate international humanitarian law at the national level.

 
GUATEMALA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Guatemalteca para la Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (COGUADIH)

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
2 Avenida Reforma 4-47,
Zona 10
Cuidad Guatemala
Tel. +502 331-9610
Fax +502 331-7938

Established: 1999 

Legal basis: Government Agreement No. 948-99 of 28 December 1999

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Interior, Education, Defence, Health, Presidential Commission for Human Rights (COPREDEH), Secretariat for Peace, judiciary, Congress, Public Prosecutor's Office, Human Rights Procurator, Bar Association, and Guatemalan Red Cross 

Chairmanship and secretariat: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To recommend measures for adoption by the government to ensure implementation of international humanitarian law;

in accordance with this aim, to submit draft legislation and regulations to the President of the Republic for consideration;

to spread knowledge of international humanitarian law within State institutions and among the general public;

to inform the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Committee's willingness to represent Guatemala at international fora dealing with this body of law;

to suggest other activities designed to promote respect for humanitarian law.

 
JAMAICA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities
Ad-hoc interministerial committee created on the initiative of national Red Cross Society in 1996 - - Foster the implementation of international humanitarian law
 
NICARAGUA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional para la Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Apartado postal No. 127
Managua
Tel. +505 266 6512

Fax +505 266 6512

Established: 1999 

Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 54-99 of 23 April 1999

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Education, Health, Justice, President's Office, commissions of the National Assembly, Supreme Court, Nicaraguan Red Cross, and academic circles 

Chairmanship: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To advise and provide support to the government on all issues relating to participation in international humanitarian law treaties, to incorporation of their provisions into national law, and to dissemination of their rules.
 
PANAMA
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional Permanente para la Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CPDIH) 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores
Altos del Cerro Ancón
Edificio 95
Ciudad de Panamà
Tel. +507 211 4296

Fax +507 211 4296

Established: 1997 

Legal basis: Executive Decree No. 154 of 25 August 1997, amended by Executive Decree No. 165 of 19 August 1999 

Operation: Resolutions No. 001-98 and No. 001-00 (internal regulations)

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Justice, Interior, Education, President's Office, Labour, Legislative Assembly, police, Civil defence, academic circles, and Red Cross Society of Panama 

Chairmanship and Secretariat: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To prepare a list of national legislation implementing international humanitarian law, to make recommendations and propose draft laws to the Executive to make effective the norms contained in that body of law;

to disseminate international humanitarian law in institutions of the State and of the general public;

to cooperate with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in organizing meetings with the ICRC;

to promote the incorporation of humanitarian law into university and school programmes and cooperate in the development of such programmes;

to represent Panama in international conferences and meetings dealing with topics relating to international humanitarian law.

 
PARAGUAY
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Interministerial de Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario 

c/o Ministerio de Defensa Nacional
Edificio del Ministerio de Defensa
Mcal. López esquina Vicepres. Sánchez

Asuncio
n

Established: 1995 

Legal basis: Presidential Decree No. 8802 of 12 May 1995; reorganization by Presidential Decree No. 15926 of 28 December 2001

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Interior, Justice and Employment 

Chairmanship and secretariat: Ministry of Defence

To consult with the public and private institutions concerned and make recommendations to the authorities on means of implementing, applying, and disseminating international humanitarian law.
 
PERU
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisíon Nacional de Estudio y Aplicación del Derecho Internacional Humanitario (CONADIH) 

c/o Ministerio de Justicia
Scipión Llona 350
Miraflores
Lima

Fax +511 441 05 47

Established: 2001 

Legal basis: Resolution (Resolución Suprema) No. 234-2001-JUS of 1 June 2001 

Operation: Ministerial Resolution No. 240-2001-JUS of 23 July 2001 (regulations of procedure and operation)

Representatives: Justice, Foreign Affairs, Interior, Defence, and academic circles

Chairmanship and secretariat: Ministry of Justice

To carry out studies and make recommendations on implementation of international humanitarian law;

to contribute to the monitoring of the implementation of this body of law;

to help spread knowledge of this body of law.

 
TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities
Inter-Ministerial Committee on International Humanitarian Law 

c/o Ministry of Enterprise Development and Foreign Affairs
1 Queen's Park West
Port of Spain
Tel. +1 868 623 4116

Fax +1 868 624 4220

Established: 1997 (ad hoc), 2001 (ad hoc) 

Legal basis: Cabinet Decision No. 211 of 21 February 2001

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Defence, Security, Education, Health, Culture, Trinidad and Tobago Red Cross Society, and Public Prosecutor's Office 

Chairmanship: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To review and present to the government suitable recommendations relating to the 1954 Hague Convention for the protection of cultural property and its two protocols, and the 1980 Convention on certain conventional weapons and its four protocols.
 
URUGUAY
Structure Date of establishment Composition and operation Mandate and activities

Comisión Nacional de Derecho Humanitario (CNDH-Ur) 

c/o Ministerio de Relaciones exteriores, Dirección de Derechos Humanos
Colonia 1206
11600 Montevideo
Tel. +5982 902 7806

or +5982 902 1327 (2215)

Established: 1992 

Legal basis: Executive Decrees No. 677/992 of 24 November 1992 and No. XXX/996 of 3 June 1996

Representatives: Foreign Affairs, Justice, Defence, Interior, Health, Education and Culture, Supreme Court, Uruguayan Red Cross, and academic circles 

Chairmanship: Ministry of Foreign Affairs

To make recommendations on dissemination of international humanitarian law at all levels of public and private education;

to make recommendations on implementation of and respect for this body of law through the adoption of legislative provisions, regulations and other measures that ensure the application of this body of law.

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