Ten years ago, the United Nations Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2286, which obligates states to “prevent and address” attacks on health in conflict. A decade on, attacks on health in conflict have only worsened, and world leaders are all too comfortable flouting international norms and law.

Human Rights Watch has documented attacks on health around the world which constitute clear violations of international humanitarian law, or the laws of war. They can also violate international human rights law, in particular the right to health.

On the occasion of this tenth anniversary of Resolution 2286, we have compiled Human Rights Watch’s documentation of attacks on health in conflict over the past decade, highlighting the global nature of this crisis and underscoring the urgent need to heed its call to develop effective measures to prevent attacks on health in conflict and to ensure meaningful accountability. This includes improving data collection on attacks on and threats to health care; integrating practical measures to ensure respect for international law into military doctrine and training; expanding domestic law to incorporate legal obligations under international human rights and humanitarian law; and restricting the sale and export of arms and other technologies which may be used to identify, target, and attack health care facilities and personnel to known perpetrators. Governments should regularly report on actions taken to comply with these and other obligations under the law.

Even in war, the right to health endures. Governments can and should do more to ensure respect for international law at all times.