The United Nations high commissioner for human rights and international humanitarian law

International human rights law and international humanitarian law are parallel and complementary branches of international law with their distinct and distinctive supervision arrangements. In the conflicts taking place in the world today, both the institutions of international humanitarian law and international human rights law are called upon to apply and uphold international humanitarian law.

A set of operational principles of coexistence, outlined in this essay, could help to enhance complementarity and mutual support in the future. Of these, the principle of protection is paramount. The latter boils down to a simple proposition: whoever can help protect the victims of violations of international human rights or international humanitarian law has a duty to do so. This is the essence of the 'responsibility to protect,' which is a cardinal principle of contemporary international law and relations. Ultimately, the High Commissioner has a responsibility to protect in respect both to international human rights law and international humanitarian law.