
The Geneva Conventions at 75: do the laws of war still have a fighting chance in today’s bloody world?
Today marks 75 years since the adoption of the Geneva Conventions on August 12 1949. In theory, these rules of war are universally agreed by every nation. In practice, they are routinely violated everywhere.
With an estimated 120 armed conflicts worldwide, more than 450 armed groups and 195 million people living in areas under their control, the protection of the vulnerable is as vitally important as ever.
As the news headlines remind us daily, however, international humanitarian law can seem like too little, too late when faced with military might and political indifference.