Celebrating 60 Years of the Geneva Conventions: Towards an Action Plan for {HL, Towards Protection ofFilipinos COMMUNIQUE OF THE NATIONAL SUMMIT ON INTERNATIONAL HUMANITARIAN LAW organized by the Commission on HumanRights, the Civil Society Initiatives for [HL, and EO 134 National Committee, 12 August 2009, Seameo-Innotech, Quezon City le, participants of the National Summit on International Humanitarian Law of August 12, 2009, meeting underthe theme Geneva Conventions: Humanity Amidst Conflict, celebrate together and with the whole world the 60" anniversary of the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Wereaffirm the commitment ofthe Philippines to uphold the principles of international law as demonstrated with theratification ofthe Conventions in 1952 and related agreements, including the 1948 Genocide Convention (ratified 1950); 1968 Convention on the Non-Applicability of Statutory Limitations to War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity (1973); 1977 Second Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventionsrelating to the protection ofvictimsof non-international armed conflict (1986); 2005 Third Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions relating to the adoption of an additional distinctive emblem (2006); 2000 Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvementof children in armed conflict (2003): and various conventions governing the use, restriction or prohibition of weapons such as poisonous gas (1973), biological weapons (1973), chemical weapons, certain conventional weaponsand anti-personnel landmines (2000). _ Wetake this opportunity to take a hard look at our country’s record in observing the standards and normsof international humanitarian law. In this national summit and the earlier regional summits; we note the challenges and gapsin IHL practice in the country and commit to seek waysof moving forward in IHL compliance. We recognize the promotion ofIHL,institutionalization of protection mechanisms, and full realization of the fundamentalprinciples of IHL as imperatives to achieving our aspirations for rule of law in times of war and peace. Thus, we put forward,asinitial proposals in developing a national action plan on IHL, the following recommendationsfor policy changesand for action: In terms of promotion, we see the need for a comprehensive national program that will address the need for education on IHL from the grassroots up and build a 22) and consolidated constituency for IHL. Specifically, we recommend . = . Introducing and implementing an IEC campaign on IHL with a strong media component to reach outto the basic sector; Standardizing an |HL section in formal school curricula and co-curricular programslike the ROTC and NSTP; Making armed groups(state and donee understand IHL and their accountability in a the eventofviolations; Providing resources - from governmentandcivil society — in promoting IHL; and a Enacting an |HL law that incorporates promotion and education.