What is International Humanitarian Law?

       International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a set of rules which seek, for humanitarian reasons, to limit the effects of armed conflict. It protects persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and restricts the means and methods of warfare. The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols provide the foundation for this legal regime.

       Despite universal adoption of the Geneva Conventions among nations, violations of IHL persist. The changing nature of warfare and the development of new advanced weaponry and methods of warfare raise significant questions about the continued application of IHL to modern conflicts. IHL is also known as the "law of war" or the "law of armed conflict" (LoAC).