With the threat of conflict in Iraq, humanitarian agencies face profound and complex challenges. They include the question of how international law might apply to the situation, what difference does the law make, and what do aid agencies need to know about it? What are the roles, duties and responsibilities of the various international, state and non-state actors that would be involved? Is principled humanitarian action possible when closely associated with political and military intervention?

To explore these issues, the Humanitarian Practice Network held a debate on 'Iraq: war, law and humanitarian protection' at ODI on 22 January 2003.