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ELAC Reports
Navigating Technical Arrangements in Humanitarian Responses to Food Crises (Workshop Report)
This report provides an account of discussions during a Workshop on technical arrangements applicable to humanitarian operations responding to food crises coorganised by the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC) and the Global Network Against Food Crises (GNAFC) and coordinated by the World Food Programme (WFP). The Workshop was held online under the Chatham House Rule on 23-24 September 2025 and brought together operational practitioners from humanitarian organisations and State representatives. Global food insecurity remains a pernicious issue. According to the 2025 Global Report on Food Crises, more than 295 million people across 53 countries and territories experienced acute food insecurity in 2024, an increase of nearly 14 million compared with the previous year. Conflict is the leading driver of acute food insecurity, and the primary cause of food crises in 11 out of the 13 current hunger hotspots. In recent years important progress has been made at policy level in highlighting the impact of conflict on food security, and in identifying measures to prevent, mitigate, and respond, including by the unanimous adoption of UN Security Council Resolution 2417 in 2018. The legal framework has been strengthened by the amendment of the Statute of the International Criminal Court to include the war crime of starvation of civilians in situations of non-international armed conflicts. Operationally, humanitarian organisations, continue to endeavour to provide life-saving responses. There is greater familiarity with the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL) regulating humanitarian relief operations. Certain aspects of IHL and its implementation in practice have received considerable attention, others far less so, including the entitlement of parties to armed conflicts to impose technical arrangements. These are operational requirements and restrictions that regulate the passage and distribution of relief consignments. Such arrangements can significantly impact the ability of humanitarian organisations to reach populations in need, sometimes delaying or obstructing the delivery of life-saving food assistance. The purpose of the Workshop was to discuss technical arrangements imposed in recent conflicts and their effect on humanitarian operations, to share experiences and identify lessons learned and good practices. Although a significant focus of the discussions were technical arrangements that impacted WFP operations, and WFP’s approaches to them, many of the points raised are of more general relevance, recognising that other humanitarian actors might respond to them in different ways. This report presents the discussions. Inevitably they focused on the most problematic contexts and issues. Not all the problems identified in this report occur in all contexts. In addition to points relating to the specific technical arrangements discussed, several considerations of cross-cutting and overarching relevance were also identified.
The International Law Protections against Cyber Operations Targeting the Healthcare Sector
This report aims to clarify the applicability of existing rules of international law to cyber operation against the healthcare sector.
The Oxford Process on International Law Protections in Cyberspace: A Compendium
The Oxford Process Compendium includes the five Oxford Statements on International Law Protections in Cyberspace, as well as the posts accompanying the Statements, reports from every workshop convened under the auspices of the Process, and related statements and publications by members of the Oxford Process team and workshop participants.
Anchoring Accountability for Mass Atrocities – The Permanent Support Needed to Fulfil UN Investigative Mandates
This research paper examines the role of UN investigative mandates in probing serious violations of international human rights, humanitarian and, increasingly, international criminal law, as well as their role within the broader international justice ecosystem.
The Oxford Process on International Law Protections in Cyberspace: Safeguarding the Covid-19 vaccine research – Workshop Report
On 31 July 2020, ELAC held a virtual workshop, sponsored by Microsoft, on the international legal rules that protect vaccine research. During the workshop, the protection of vaccine research was reviewed through an array of disciplines to paint a detailed picture of the threat landscape and the types of harm that cyber operations may cause.
The Protection of IT Supply Chains under International Law – Workshop Report
On 16 March 2021, ELAC held a virtual workshop, sponsored by Microsoft, on the regulation of IT Supply Chains. The workshop examined the range of international rules relevant to the protection of IT supply chains.
The Role of Law and Policy in Confronting Conflict-Induced Hunger
On November 10th and 11th, 2021, the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law and Armed Conflict (ELAC) and the World Food Programme (WFP) jointly held a virtual workshop on the topic, “The Role of Law and Policy in Confronting Conflict-Induced Hunger”. A range of academics, UN Agencies, representatives from national governments and civil society participated in the two-day event.
Cyber Due Diligence In International Law
This report looks at the extent that states are required under international law to protect other states and individuals from harm caused by cyber operations, and the general principle of due diligence as it applies to information and communications technologies.
Prior Consent by States to the Jurisdiction of International Courts and Tribunals in Inter-State Disputes
This report seeks to analyse States’ willingness to give consent in advance to the compulsory jurisdiction of international courts and tribunals in relation to inter-State disputes.
