This presentation is especially targetted at law students with a view to give them an intoduction to International Humanitarian Law.

1. INTRODUCTION TO
INTERNATIONAL
HUMANITARIAN LAW

2. WEBINAR
6 MAY 2020
UNIVERSITY LAW COLLEGE
VLU
HAZARIBAGH

3. Presentation to law students
by
Maj Gen Nilendra Kumar
Director
Lex Consilium Foundation

4. ORIGINS OF IHL
Henry Dunant (1828-1910) A Swiss Humanitarian
Battle of Solferino in modern day Italy
24 June 1859
Founder of Red Cross
Recipient of 1910 Nobel Peace Prize

5. CORE SOURCES
1. HAGUE LAW - Hague Convention of 1907
How armies should conduct themselves during operations or
hostilities
2. GENEVA LAW- Geneva Conventions of 1949
Issues of protection and how people in your power should
be treated.

6. CORE PRINCIPLES
1. Humanity
2. Impartiality
3. Independence
4. Neutrality

7. CHAPTER VII
Action with respect to the threat to the peace, breaches of
the peace and acts of aggression.
(Articles 39 to 51 of the UN Charter)

8. RIGHTS OF SELF DEFENCE UNDER UN CHARTER
Article 51 : Nothing in the present charter shall impair the
inherent right of individual or collective self-defence if an
armed attack occurs against a member of the UN.

9. LAW OF ARMED CONFLICT
This is also known as Law of War.

10. WHAT IT IS?
A set of rules, for humanitarian reasons, which seek to limit
the effects of armed conflicts.
It protects persons who are not or no longer participating in
the hostilities. It restricts the means and methods of
warfare.

11. APPLICABLE PRINCIPLES
1. Proportionality
2. Distinction
3. Humanity

12. SOURCES
1. Geneva Conventions,1949. These relate to-
I. Wounded and sick
II. Wounded, Sick and Shipwrecked Members of Armed Forces at Sea.
III. Prisoners of War
IV. Civilian persons
2. Additional Protocols of 1977
I. Victims Of International Armed Conflicts
II. Victims of Non- International Armed Conflicts
III. Additional Distinctive Emblems (2005)

13. ACCEPTANCE
Geneva Conventions have been ratified by 196 countries.

14. The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)
A humanitarian institution based in Geneva, Switzerland. It
has a mandate to protect the victims of international and
internal armed conflicts.

15. ACTION ON DISREGARD/ VIOLATION
This may amount to –
1. Breaches
2. Grave Breaches

16. INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
It deals with-
1. Crimes against humanity
2. Genocide
3. War Crimes
4. Aggression

17. RELEVANCE TO INDIA
Indian Armed Forces are the World’s second largest military
force with over 1.4 million active personnel and third
largest defence budget.

18. ARMED CONFLICTS IN WHICH INDIA WAS INVOLVED
Indo Palestine War of 1947, 1965 and 1971
Portuguese Indian War
Sino Indian War, 1962
Kargil Conflict

19. CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
1. Litigation
2. Academic
3. UN Agencies & others
4. Media
5. Legal Authorship

20. SUMMARY
IHL as an emerging course for law colleges in India offers
an interesting topic with huge potential later in career for
application and practice.

21. THANK YOU

22. Key words- IHL, Protection, Armed Conflicts, ICRC