Geneva Conventions

    War is a prevalent and ongoing occurrence worldwide, as each country struggles for power and has unending conflicts due to politics. The Geneva Conventions is a practical method that has minimized its threat to the utmost extent. Now, what are the Geneva conventions? According to Britannica, The Geneva Conventions are a series of international treaties concluded in Geneva between 1864 and 1949. Two additional protocols to the 1949 agreement were approved in 1977. The conventions were intended to alleviate the effects of war on soldiers and civilians. 

    The first Geneva convention focused on the wounded and sick on the field. They protect the injured and ill on the battlefield; this means that those who are unable to continue participating in the conflict must be excluded and not experience further harm or, worse, death. It also includes protecting those who are medical personnel capable of treating the wounded and healing them from the damage of the war. The first convention identifies and understands the significance of medical personnel and their transportation in minimizing the effects of war to an impactful extent. Next is the second convention; the second convention divulges the same structures and contents of the first convention but is intended for those in conflict at sea. The medical personnel or hospital ships at sea must be protected and not be harmed in any way whatsoever. However, the second Geneva convention only has 63 articles, one less than the first Geneva convention, which has 64 articles. The third Geneva convention talks about the prisoners of war. In the third Geneva convention, the prisoners of war are the highlights of this convention, the labor of these prisoners, their financial resources, the relief they receive, and the judicial proceedings instituted against them. This convention also states that these prisoners must be released without delay and sent back to their country after the war ends. The convention respects the prisoners' rights and how they must be treated. Despite being foes during the war, they must not be treated with indifference and still receive the due respect they deserve. Last but not least is the fourth Geneva convention which focuses on the Civilian Population. The fourth Geneva convention is not long, and it is a short section concerned with the general protection of the populations against the particular consequences of war. Initially, it did not address the conduct of the hostilities but was later examined in the additional protocols of 1977.

    To conclude, on a global scale, we must realize that the Geneva Conventions are for all. The Geneva conventions limits the suffering and damage we inflict upon each other, regardless of being fierce enemies. The Geneva Conventions serve as a reminder of our shared humanity. They limit the devastation caused by battle since they have been based on concepts that have been present in all civilizations.