It proposes, for instance, that the right to life concerns our entitlement as human beings not only “to be free from acts and omissions that are intended or may be expected to cause unnatural or premature death”, but also “to enjoy a life with dignity”. In several ways, General Comment 36 opens fresh horizons in normative thinking. 1 General Comment 36 synthesizes this right's main elements, drawing on the experience of the Committee over decades of engagement with States on the implementation of Article 6. On 18 October 2018, the UN Human Rights Committee adopted a ground-breaking General Comment on Article 6 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which pertains to the right to life. Third, its scope has been freshly reformulated by the United Nations (UN) Human Rights Committee to guide our approach to addressing the challenges to the right to life in today's world, including for those living in situations of armed conflict. Second, it is an umbrella right whose content can be informed by other human rights and legal regimes. First, it is a supreme right that is precious not only on its own but also because it affects the enjoyment of other human rights, irrespective of the circumstances. This article will focus on the right to life in protracted conflict. Tracing the origins of the term “protracted conflict” to the late Lebanese scholar Edward Azar, the article also introduces the reader to some of his work and thinking. The new dignity dimension has practical implications for the conditions of life in protracted conflicts, taking us beyond norms to the policy spheres of humanitarian action and development. Although the existence dimension is not new, one now finds additional insights concerning the legality, transparency and accountability of the use of lethal force that have particular relevance to armed conflict. Considering the articulation by the Human Rights Committee, we can now see two dimensions of this right: existence and dignity. The freshly formulated contours of this right not only present normative clarity but are also valuable for conflict management and resolution. With a focus on situations of protracted conflict, this article explores the new horizons offered by the recent explanation by the United Nations Human Rights Committee on the right to life in its General Comment 36.
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