Geneva Conventions and International Humanitarian Law

Definition

The four Geneva Conventions of 1949, with their Additional Protocols, are the core of international humanitarian law, which regulates the conduct of armed conflict and protects those who are not, or are no longer, taking part in hostilities.

Key points

• The four conventions of 1949 protect, respectively, wounded and sick soldiers on land, wounded and sick and shipwrecked at sea, prisoners of war, and civilians during armed conflict.
• They are universally ratified; the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), based in Geneva, is the guardian and promoter of international humanitarian law.
• International humanitarian law (the law of armed conflict) is distinct from international human-rights law, which applies at all times, though the two can overlap during conflict.
• India has ratified the Geneva Conventions and enacted the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960, to give them domestic effect; India is not a party to the 1977 Additional Protocols.
• Core principles include distinction (between combatants and civilians), proportionality, and humane treatment of detainees, which are directly relevant to forces operating in conflict zones.

Why it matters for CAPF

The human-rights and laws-of-war dimension is exactly what CAPF tests beyond civil-services depth; the four conventions, the ICRC's role, and India's Geneva Conventions Act, 1960, are valuable facts.

Common confusion

International humanitarian law (Geneva Conventions, applies in armed conflict) is not the same as international human-rights law (applies at all times). The ICRC is a neutral humanitarian body, not a UN agency. India ratified the conventions but not the 1977 Additional Protocols.

Related concepts

concept nhrc, concept afspa, concept chemical weapons convention, concept principle of non refoulement

Parent note

human rights and internal security