Evolution Of The Geneva Conventions: From Battlefield Protections To Modern Warfare Challenges
- IJLLR Journal
- Aug 21
- 1 min read
T K Pranavesh, B.Com LLB (Hons.), SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur
ABSTRACT
The 1949 Geneva Conventions are widely regarded as the foundation of modern international humanitarian law. They serve not just as a guide but as a legally binding set of principles that every nation is expected to uphold, irrespective of the nature of the conflict.
Ratified by nearly every country in the world, the Geneva Conventions have a universal status that few other treaties possess. They establish a baseline of humanity that has become integral to the conduct of war, underscoring that, even in warfare, some actions are beyond the bounds of acceptable behaviour.
The conventions also set forth critical concepts that would shape international law in the decades that followed. These principles have guided global responses to conflicts in places like Yugoslavia, Rwanda, and Syria, where humanitarian law is invoked in efforts to protect civilians and ensure accountability for violations.
However, the relevance of the Geneva Conventions has also been challenged by new forms of conflict and the rise of non-state actors. With the advent of cyber warfare, drone strikes, and asymmetrical warfare, questions have emerged about how these conventions apply to technologies and strategies that did not exist in 1864. In this research paper, let us discuss the evolution of the Geneva Conventions and its effectiveness in modern warfare.
Keywords: 1977 Additional Protocols, Civilian Protection, Drone technology, Genocide, Geneva Conventions, Hamdan v. Rumsfeld, Non- international conflicts, non-state actors, POWs (Prisoners of war), Prosecutor v. Tadić, Sexual Violence, War Crimes, Cyber Warfare
