The Geneva Conventions or Red Cross Conventions

These conventions represent historically evolved international law. They are international agreements for the protection of the wounded, of prisoners of war and the civilian population in times of armed conflict.

It was on the suggestion of Henri Dunant on 22 August 1864 that a convention was conceived with the intention of improving the situation of wounded soldiers of armies on the battlefield. This convention was revised by the agreement of 6 July 1906, then extended to include marine warfare by the Hague agreements of 29 July 1899 and of 18 October 1907. After World War I the agreements were replaced by the Geneva Conventions of 27 July 1929; on the same day a convention for the protection of prisoners of war was signed. As a result of the Geneva Conventions the Red Cross was afforded protection based on international law. After World War II, previous agreements were replaced by the four Geneva Agreements of 12 August 1949 which established the protection of victims of war, including the civilian population. These agreements have been ratified by virtually all countries of the world.

On initiative of the United Nations and prepared by the 22nd International Conference of the Red Cross in Teheran in November 1973, the 'Diplomatic Conference on the Reaffirmation and Development of International Humanitarian Law applicable in Armed Conflicts' with 110 participating states agreed on two additional protocols (on international and internal armed conflicts) to the Geneva Conventions after 4 spring sessions from 1974 to 1977. The protocols aim at adapting humanitarian international law to changes in warfare techniques as well as new forms of warfare.