This document defines and explains key terms in international humanitarian law. It discusses acts of war, aggression, belligerent status, carpet or area bombing, chemical weapons, child soldiers, civil defense, collective punishment, combatants, command responsibility, customary law, crimes against humanity, distinction, and relevant articles of the UN Charter. The document provides concise definitions and examples for each term to facilitate proper study and understanding of principles in international humanitarian law.

1. International
Humanitarian
Law
Glossary and Definitions of the
Terms used

2. PRESENTATION BY
Major General Nilendra Kumar
President,
Akhil Bhartiya Vidhi Pradhaypak
Sangam

3. A clear understanding of
certain terms commonly
used and IHL principles will
facilitate their proper study

4.  ACT OF WAR
Any act by a state that
would effectively
terminate the normal
international law of
peace time and activate
the international law of
war

5. AGGRESSION
The term, in International
Law , is defined as the use
of force by one state
against another , not
justified by self defence or
other legally recognized
exceptions.
The status was attained by
a rebel group when all the
following had occurred:
1.It controlled territory in the state against which it was rebelling;
2.It declared independence;
3.Its goal was secession,
4. It had well organized armed forces,
5.It began hostilities against the government, & the government
recognized it as a belligerent.

6. CARPET OR AREA
BOMBING
Air attacks on a city that treat it a single
military object instead of clearly
distinguishing military objectives and
attacking them in individually.

7. CHEMICAL
WEAPONS
Munitions or other devices using
toxic chemicals to cause death,
temporary incapacitation, or
permanent harm to humans or
animals.

8. CHILD SOLDIERS
Direct participants in hostilities of children who
have not attained the age of fifteen years.
They may participate as soldier, drummer boys,
messengers, porters and servants.

9. CIVIL DEFENCE
The term refers to a variety of practical
measures to protect civilians in wars and
natural disasters .

10. CIVIL WARS
The term non refers to internal armed conflicts

11. COLLETRAL DAMAGE
Collateral or incidental damage occurs when attacks
targeted at military objectives cause civilian casualties and
damage to civilian objects.

12. COLLECTIVE PUNISHMENT
Means collective penalties and
like wise all measures of
intimidation or of terrorism.

13. COMBATANTS
 A combatant is a member of
an armed force a person who
takes an active part in
hostilities, who can kill, and
who in turn is a lawful military
target.
 Combatants are all members
of the armed forces of a party
to the conflict except medical
and religious personnel. They
cannot be punished for their
hostile acts and, if captured
used can only be held as
POW, Until the end of
hostilities.

14. COMMAND RESPONSIBILITY
 A military commander is responsible for crimes
that he “knew or should have known” about, under
circumstances at the time, and only for those
crimes committees by forces under his “ effective
command and control”.
 A commander has command responsibility for the
actions of his subordinates, even through he may
not directly have ordered the violations.
 He is liable if he “failed to take all necessary and
reasonable measures” to prevent and repress
such crimes that subordinates were committing or
about to commit” or for failing to report such
crimes to proper authorities.

15. Customary Law
Is the result from a general and
consistent practice of states
that is followed by them from a
sense of legal obligation.

16. CRIMES AGAINST
HUMANITY
 They refer to specific acts of violence against
persons irrespective of whether the person is a
national or non national and irrespective if
whether these acts are committed in time of war
or time of peace,
 These acts must be the product of persecution
against an identifiable group of persons
irrespective of the make up of that group the
purpose of the persecution.

17. EXAMPLES
 Murder
 Extermination
 Enslavement
 Deportation
 Other inhuman acts committees against civilian
populations, before or during the war; or
 Persecutions on political, racial or religious
grounds in execution of or in connection with any
crime, whether or not in violation of the domestic
law of the country where perpetrated.

18. DISTINCTION
 This principal is also known as civilian
immunity. Under this principle, parties to an
armed conflict must always distinguish
between civilians and civilians objectives on
the one hand, and combatants and military
targets on the other hand.

19. U N Chapter Article-2
 All members shall settle their international
disputes by peaceful means in such a manner that
international peace and security, and justice are not
endangered.
 All members shall refrain in their inter-national
relations from the threat or use of force against the
territorial integrity or political independence of
any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with
the purposes of the United Nation.

20. CONCLUSION
 A visualization of the definition would help the
aim and purpose of the term.

21. Thank You

22. @ copyright
Major General Nilendra
Kumar