International Services

Exploring International
Humanitarian Law
 What is International
Humanitarian Law?
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a body of
rules which in times of armed conflict, seek to
protect people who are not or are no longer taking
part in the fighting.
IHL also restricts the methods and means of
warfare employed.
IHL today is composed of two main sets of laws,
the Geneva Conventions, and the Hague
Conventions.
 The Roots of IHL
Throughout the 1700s and up to the
beginning of the twentieth century,
philosophers, and law makers, and
governments began to develop laws and
treaties aimed at minimizing the death and
destruction of war.
 Geneva Conventions
I. The protection of wounded and sick
soldiers on land (1864).
II. The protection of wounded and sick
soldiers at sea (1906).
III. The protection of prisoners of war
(1929).
IV. The protection of civilians (1949).
Laws, Humanitarian
Organizations, and Human Dignity
in Times of Armed Conflict

Do you think it makes sense to have

Laws to limit the suffering in armed
conflict?
Human Dignity

What is Human Dignity?

How would you define it?
 What images come to mind when you hear the
War
word war or armed conflict ?

What wars are currently going on in the world today? In

Asia? What past wars do you know about?
Means of Warfare
Is everything allowed during
an armed conflict?

Should any Weapons be prohibited

in armed conflict? Which ones?
Why?
The Idea of Enemy

How would you define enemy?

Does an enemy ever deserve to be

protected during armed conflict?
 Civilians

What is a civilian?

How should civilians

be treated during
armed conflicts?
Why?
Children

Why do children
sometimes take part in
armed conflicts?
Wounded Combatants

How do you believe a wounded enemy

combatant should be protected?
Prisoners
How should an enemy
prisoner be treated? Why?
Women
Do you think civilian
women need special
protection in time of
war? What type of
protection?
Other Protected Persons

Does anyone else need special

protection in times of war?
Who? Why?
Protected Places in Times of War

Are there places that you think

should not be attacked? Which
places? Why?
 Emblems in Use

Red Cross

Red Crescent

Red Shield (Star) of David

 Fundamental
Principles of the
International
Red Cross and Red
Crescent
Movement
For Further Information
On the web
American Red Cross St. Louis -
http://www.redcrossstl.org

International Committee of the Red Cross (in times of

armed conflict) - http://www.icrc.org
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent
Societies (disaster relief) -http://www.ifrc.org

Thank you!