From a doctrinal point of view, the relationship between human rights and international humanitarian law (IHL) seems like a settled issue in terms of the correspondence of basic objectives and common aims.
Different theories have tried to explain that relationship, taking into consideration either that human rights and IHL are separate systems or that they are completely integrated within international law. Most recent positions emphasize their convergence into a scheme of mutual coordination and complementarity.
In our view, none of these positions clearly characterize the day-to-day interface between human rights and IHL. Taking that premise as a point of departure, our purpose is to demonstrate that there is no rational or organized convergence between the two systems of law, that similitude and correspondence are sometimes overwhelmed by diversity, and that gaps and overlaps between their rules are a common feature of their interrelations.