The Geneva Conventions: the core of international humanitarian law

The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols are international treaties - part of international humanitarian law - that contain the most important rules limiting the barbarity of war. They protect people who do not take part in the fighting (civilians, medics, aid workers) and those who can no longer fight (wounded, sick and shipwrecked troops, prisoners of war).

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The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols (complete versions)
The first Geneva Convention of 1864 dealt exclusively with care for wounded soldiers; the law was later adapted to cover warfare at sea and prisoners of war. In 1949 the Conventions were revised and expanded:

• 1st Convention: wounded soldiers on the battlefield
• 2nd Convention: wounded and shipwrecked at sea  
• 3rd Convention: prisoners of war
• 4th Convention: civilians under enemy control

In 1977 two Additional Protocols were added:  

• 1st Protocol: international conflicts
• 2nd Protocol: non-international conflicts

In 2005 Additional Protocol III was adopted:

• 3rd Protocol: additional distinctive emblem