First Geneva Convention of 1949 (first adopted 1864):
Geneva Convention for the amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded and Sick in Armed Forces in the Field
The First Geneva Convention provides for the protection of wounded and sick members of armed forces on land. Protection of wounded and sick members of armed forces on land is extended to medical personnel attached to the armed forces, medical equipment, transport and sites. Religious personnel are also protected. The neutral symbol of Red Cross or Red Crescent identifies and protects medical services of armed forces.
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Second Geneva Convention of 1949 (first adopted 1906):
Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea
The Second Geneva Convention protects wounded, sick and shipwrecked members of armed forces at sea. It contains provisions similar to those in the First Geneva Convention.
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Third Geneva Convention of 1949 (first adopted 1929):
Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Prisoners of War
The Third Geneva Convention deals with the classification and treatment of prisoners of war (POWs). It addition to codifying minimum standards for humane treatment, the Convention outlines a process of repatriation for POWs following the end of a conflict. The Third Geneva Convention also grants specific duties for neutral humanitarian organisations in relation to POWs.
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Fourth Geneva Convention of 1949 (first adopted 1949):
Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War
It is a fundamental principle of IHL that those engaged in conflict must distinguish between combatants (who are legitimate targets) and the civilian population (who are not). The Fourth Geneva Convention requires that states respect and protect civilians who find themselves living in conflict zones. The Convention prohibits violence to life and person, the taking of hostages, deportations, degrading treatment, and the passing of sentences by an unregulated court.
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Additional Protocol I (adopted 8 June 1977):
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts
Additional Protocol I enhances the protection afforded to victims of international armed conflict. It does this by:
- prohibiting indiscriminate attacks on civilians and any possessions necessary for their survival
- developing protection for cultural objects, places of worship and the natural environment
- establishing an obligation to search for missing people and protecting the activities of civil defence organisations
- providing specific ways in which countries should incorporate IHL within their legal system
- developing principles of IHL applicable to conflicts concerning colonial domination, alien occupation and racist regimes and extending the definition of combatant provided certain conditions are met.
Read the complete text of Additional Protocol I
Additional Protocol II (adopted 8 June 1977):
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Protection of Victims of Non-International Armed Conflicts
The Additional Protocol II applies only to internal armed conflicts. It protects those who are not, or are no longer, involved in hostilities. The Protocol provides for the fundamental rights of those detained, including the right to a fair trial. It provides more detailed protections for the civilian population, and expands the responsibilities of combatants, including the prohibition of methods of warfare such as intentional starvation and forced displacement.
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Additional Protocol III (adopted 8 December 2005):
Protocol Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, and Relating to the Adoption of an Additional Distinctive Emblem
The Third Additional Protocol enhances the protective value and universal character of the emblem by reinforcing the principle that the distinctive emblems are not intended to have any religious, ethnic, racial, regional or political significance. It recognises the difficulties that States and National Societies may have with the use of the existing emblems and acknowledges an additional distinctive emblem, composed of a red frame in the shape of a square on edge on a white background. The conditions for use of, and respect for, the additional emblem, formally known as the Red Crystal, are identical to those for the Red Cross and Red Crescent established by the Geneva Conventions.
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