The International Humanitarian Law Research Initiative (IHLRI) is a research, policy, and information project dedicated to the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law (IHL). Founded in 2002, the project is based at the Program on Humanitarian Policy and Conflict Research (HPCR) at the Harvard School of Public Health.

IHLRI seeks to develop new strategies to address challenges to the protection of civilians and persons "hors de combat" in conflict situations, particularly in view of the increasing targeting of civilians, the evolution of current methods of warfare, and the fragmentation of states in conflict areas. The project reflects the Harvard School of Public Health's focus on issues of human security as a key component of public health by working to provide a standardized approach to the protection of civilians in conflict situations. To that end, IHLRI seeks to enhance dialogue on humanitarian issues and to foster the creation of an international network of scholars, policy makers, and humanitarian practitioners - including the International Committee of the Red Cross, the United Nations, and non-governmental organizations - that share a common concern for the respect of the rules of the Geneva Conventions.

Within this framework, IHLRI serves as a central resource for a number of initiatives related to the reaffirmation and development of international humanitarian law. Once a year, in collaboration with the Swiss government as depository of the Geneva Conventions, the project co-hosts an informal high-level expert meeting at which state experts survey the development of the law and assess the need for further research and inquiries on selected areas.

IHLRI's networking goals are supported by a range of educational initiatives and web portals - the foremost being the IHL Research Initiative portal. This portal comprises links to more than eight thousand documents, offers policy briefs on the latest issues and debates related to IHL, and sponsors electronic conferences on key aspects of implementation. Finally, in cooperation with the United Nations, IHLRI offers training programs and specialized web portals on IHL. Tailored to the needs of policymakers, practitioners, and students, these activities provide background materials on IHL, as well as concise information on specific conflict situations, such as those in Iraq or the Occupied Palestinian Territory.