On 3 May 2016 the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2286 on “healthcare in armed conflict.” Drafted by Egypt, Japan, New Zealand, Spain and Uruguay and co-sponsored by 84 UN Member States, the resolution calls for greater protection for healthcare in armed conflict, noting that intentional attacks against hospitals and medical personnel are war crimes. The resolution reaffirms that states bear the primary responsibility to protect their populations and also stresses the importance of ensuring accountability for violations of international humanitarian law. This is the first UN Security Council resolution on healthcare in armed conflict.
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