Distinction Protecting Civilians in Armed Conflict

Increasingly, civilians are bearing the brunt of war. In conflicts taking place throughout the world today the vast majority of victims are civilians. Adopted in 1977, Protocols I and II additional to the Geneva Conventions are international treaties that seek to better protect civilians in both international and non-international armed conflicts. They do so mainly by giving legal emphasis to the distinction between civilians and combatants. In order to respond to the changing nature of armed conflict, the 1977 Additional Protocols tackle various challenges posed by modern warfare, such as advances in weapons technology. They also impose limits on the way wars may be fought.