Navigating violence in contested territories

As of October 2025, the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) estimates that 204 million people live in areas controlled or contested by armed groups – 30 million more than in 2021. In many such areas, the rule of law never took hold; where it did, it has now collapsed, replaced by rule through arms. Life in contested areas, however, is not always “nasty, brutish and short.” But coping implies harrowing trade-offs – complying with the rules imposed by armed groups to avoid retaliation, keeping children away from school for safety, or hiding targeted family members. In these situations, IHL provides fundamental humanitarian protections for civilians, irrespective of whether the area in which they live is controlled by a state or by a non-state party to the conflict.

Based on research carried out in Cameroon, Iraq and the Philippines, the ICRC’s new policy report explores the challenges and dynamics that shape people’s lives in areas with multiple and competing armed actors. It outlines effective ways of strengthening humanitarian responses for people living in these areas and makes an urgent call to prioritize their protection.

Speakers

Matthew Bamber-Zryd | Adviser on Armed Groups, ICRC

Dr. Matthew Bamber-Zryd is the ICRC’s Adviser on Armed Groups, based at ICRC headquarters in Geneva, where he supports the organization’s humanitarian engagement with armed groups. Prior to joining the ICRC, he worked on conflict and armed groups for various government and multilateral bodies, conducting field research across the Middle East, Asia, and Africa. Matthew is a specialist in transnational jihadist armed groups and examines how these groups form, operate, and adapt within conflict environments. His research has appeared in Terrorism and Political Violence, Small Wars and Insurgencies, the CTC Sentinel, and other peer-reviewed journals. He has provided expert testimony to governments and multilateral bodies on armed group dynamics.

Arjun Claire | Senior Policy Adviser, ICRC

Arjun Claire is Senior Policy Adviser at the International Committee of the Red Cross, where he conducts field-based policy research on humanitarian responses in protracted conflicts, emerging trends in humanitarian action, and civilian experiences in contested areas. His research focuses on better integrating the experiences and perspectives of conflict-affected communities in humanitarian responses. Previously, he worked with Médecins Sans Frontières, the International Council of Voluntary Agencies, and the European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations, among others. He holds master’s degrees in Humanitarian Action, Peace and Conflict Studies, and Journalism.

Moderator: Fanny Dagenais-Dion | Legal Advisor & Senior Specialist in IHL, CRC

As part of her role, Fanny Dagenais-Dion contributes to the dissemination of IHL by organizing and delivering conferences and trainings to diverse audiences and works with national and international partners on its development and implementation. Fanny holds a master’s degree in international law from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM) and is a member of the Quebec Law Society. Prior to joining the Red Cross, Fanny worked in Guatemala with a local human rights organization, representing victims of armed conflict.