International Humanitarian Law

• International Humanitarian Law protects individuals during armed conflict.

Key Historical Developments and Principles

• The first attempt to regulate warfare and protect civilians was the Geneva Conventions of 1864.
• The primary purpose of the 1899 Hague Convention was to regulate the conduct of hostilities and prohibit certain weapons.
• The Geneva Conventions of 1949 expanded the protections of the original 1864 Convention to include the treatment of civilians in occupied territories.
• The 1977 Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions primarily addressed the protection of victims in non-international armed conflicts.
• The Nuremberg Trials (1945-1949) established the concept of individual accountability for war crimes.
• A major outcome of the 1949 Geneva Conventions was the codification of rules on the treatment of prisoners of war and civilians.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) played a key role in developing the first Geneva Convention in 1864.
• The Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907 focused on provisions for the conduct of hostilities and rules for the protection of prisoners of war.
• The concept of “military necessity” is concerned with ensuring military actions are proportionate and justified by the need to achieve a military advantage.
• The International Criminal Court (ICC) was established in 2002 following the adoption of the Rome Statute in 1998.
• The principle of proportionality requires that harm to civilians must not be excessive in relation to the anticipated military advantage.
• The 1954 Hague Convention aimed to protect cultural property and heritage during armed conflicts.
• The indiscriminate targeting of civilians is considered a war crime under the Geneva Conventions.
• The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) is primarily responsible for overseeing the enforcement of International Humanitarian Law.
• The principle of distinction prohibits attacks on civilian infrastructure during armed conflict.