Application of international humanitarian law during armed conflicts

Abstract

International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is essential to protect civilians, prisoners of war and medical personnel in armed conflicts, regulating treatment and seeking to mitigate suffering. Despite the progress made with the Geneva Conventions and their Prot ocols, a gap persists between the rules and their actual application. Serious violations, such as genocide, war crimes and abuses against vulnerable groups, continue to occur, evidenced by the use of sexual violence as a weapon, recruitment of min ors and attacks on civilians and infrastructure, as seen in the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Syria. This highlights the need to improve monitoring and accountability mechanisms, and to promote reforms for effective protection and peacefu l solutions.