As the Geneva Conventions mark their 75th anniversary, a stark reality emerges: the treaty’s principles on protecting civilians, detainees, and wounded soldiers in war are being blatantly disregarded in conflict zones across the globe. Despite nearly universal ratification since their adoption on August 12, 1949, the conventions’ guidelines have been widely ignored, from the battlefields of Gaza, Syria, and Ukraine to the war-torn regions of Myanmar. Armed militias and national forces alike are openly violating these conventions, prompting advocates of international humanitarian law to call for a renewed commitment to upholding these fundamental principles.
The world is facing the dire consequences of rampant violence and human rights violations. The Geneva Conventions’ anniversary serves as a stark reminder of the need for nations to recommit to this vital framework, ensuring its principles are upheld and enforced. As President Mirjana Spoljaric of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), which oversees the conventions, stated on Monday, “International humanitarian law is under strain, disregarded, undermined to justify violence.” “The world must recommit to this robust protective framework for armed conflict, one that follows the premise of protecting life instead of justifying death,” she emphasized.
The conventions, with roots dating back to the 19th century, aim to establish rules governing the conduct of war. They explicitly prohibit torture and sexual violence, mandate humane treatment of detainees, and require searches for missing persons. “The conventions reflect a global consensus that all wars have limits,” Spoljaric told reporters at ICRC headquarters in Geneva. “The dehumanization of both enemy fighters and civilian populations is a path to ruin and disaster.”
The Red Cross stresses the urgent need for the conventions now more than ever. They have documented over 120 active conflicts worldwide, a six-fold increase from the half-century anniversary in 1999. In recent years, many countries and combatants exploit loopholes in international humanitarian law or interpret it according to their own interests. Hospitals, schools, and ambulances have been subjected to attacks, aid workers and civilians have been killed, and countries deny access to detainees. This growing disregard for the Geneva Conventions demands a renewed commitment from the international community to uphold its principles and ensure the protection of vulnerable populations in conflict zones.
