International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a body of international laws that set out the minimum humanitarian standards that apply in times of international war (between two or more countries) and internal war (within the borders of one country). IHL limits the means and methods of warfare and seeks to protect those who are not, or who are no longer, participating in hostilities. IHL therefore protects groups such as civilians, sick or wounded combatants and prisoners of war (POWs).

Modern-day IHL is generally considered to have developed from two main sources: the law of Geneva, a body of humanitarian rules protecting victims of armed conflict, and the law of The Hague, legal principles concerning the conduct of hostilities.

Use the links below to find out more about IHL.

More information can also be found in the PDF file 'What is IHL?' downloadable from the ICRC website (size: 32K/file type: PDF)