Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International (Amnesty), and other like-minded organisations have become major actors in the world of international humanitarian law (IHL). Every year they issue hundreds of publications purporting to document violations and to promote IHL enforcement. These publications are ubiquitously cited in the media, and used as source material for governmental and United Nations inquiries, quasi-judicial bodies, the International Criminal Court, academic studies, and other frameworks. Yet, despite the increase in the number, role and influence of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) working on IHL enforcement, conflicts and civilian deaths show no signs of abating. Among the factors that reduce NGO impact in these areas is the demonstrated weakness of these organisations in the realm of fact-finding, and the tension between these activities and emphasis on political advocacy. This article will thus analyse both objective and subjective aspects of NGO fact-finding during armed conflict, including mandates and methodology, selectivity, the application of legal standards, military expertise and sourcing. These issues will be examined through case studies of Amnesty and HRW publications on the conflicts in Yemen, Ukraine and the 2014 Gaza War. The article will conclude with recommendations for NGOs and the actors with which they interact.

中文翻译：

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国际人道法执法的非政府组织实况调查：寻找新模式

人权观察 (HRW)、大赦国际 (Amnesty) 和其他志同道合的组织已成为国际人道法 (IHL) 领域的主要参与者。每年他们都会发布数百种出版物，声称记录违法行为并促进国际人道法的执行。这些出版物被媒体广泛引用，并用作政府和联合国调查、准司法机构、国际刑事法院、学术研究和其他框架的源材料。然而，尽管从事国际人道法执法工作的非政府组织 (NGO) 的数量、作用和影响力有所增加，但冲突和平民死亡并没有减弱的迹象。减少非政府组织在这些领域影响的因素之一是这些组织在事实调查领域的明显弱点，以及这些活动与强调政治宣传之间的紧张关系。因此，本文将分析武装冲突期间非政府组织实况调查的客观和主观方面，包括任务和方法、选择性、法律标准的应用、军事专业知识和采购。这些问题将通过大赦国际和人权观察出版物关于也门、乌克兰和 2014 年加沙战争的冲突的案例研究进行审查。本文将以对非政府组织及其与之互动的行为者的建议作为结尾。这些问题将通过大赦国际和人权观察出版物关于也门、乌克兰和 2014 年加沙战争的冲突的案例研究进行审查。本文将以对非政府组织及其与之互动的行为者的建议作为结尾。这些问题将通过大赦国际和人权观察出版物关于也门、乌克兰和 2014 年加沙战争的冲突的案例研究进行审查。本文将以对非政府组织及其与之互动的行为者的建议作为结尾。