Analysis of the International Humanitarian Law

The International Committee of the Red Cross dictates the Laws of War. Cumulative humanitarian spirit led to the first Geneva Convention of 1864. It encompassed basic limits of how war can be fought and who or what may be attacked and protected. It stated that civilians should not be attacked. Such an act would be declared as a war crime. Furthermore, civilians have a right to receive the help they need. Moving on, detainees are protected from torture. They must be given food, water, allowed to communicate with loved ones. This protects their dignity. Moreover, medical workers are to help the sick and wounded. The Red cross institute must not be attacked. All sick and wounded must be tended to. Bringing into perspective, advances in weapons and technology have changed the rules of war. Autonomous robots may fight wars in the future. All weapons should and must be aligned with the rules of law. The International Humanitarian Law (IHL) assists in preserving dignity during times of war. Through this article, we will dive deep into the subject of IHL and analyse its relevance in today’s world. The basic conclusion, one will come to, after reading the article would be that although flawed in several manners, variables and factors both known and unknown to this subject, the IHL if followed judiciously and treated with respect is effective in times of war.​