ICRC urges adherence to Geneva Conventions to prevent brutality in war

BLESSING  TAIWO 

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has called for optimum adherence to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 to reduce brutality during war globally.

The plea was contained in a statement by the ICRC President, Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, on Tuesday, to mark the 76th anniversary of the four Geneva Conventions of 1949.

These conventions are among the most widely accepted international treaties that—when respected – prevent brutality in war and preserve pathways back to peace.

“Seventy-six years ago, the world made a solemn promise through the Geneva Conventions that even in war, there are limits. Today, that promise is under serious threat.

“The rules remain, but the commitment to uphold them is weakening, with catastrophic consequences for people trapped in conflict,” Egger said.

The ICRC president stressed that the rules were not created to serve the powerful but as a guide to avoid the escalation of wars.

“They exist to protect the powerless: the civilian caught in the crossfire, the wounded on the battlefield, the prisoner behind bars,” she noted.

Egger pointed out that respect for the rules of war as contained in the Geneva Conventions is not optional.

She appealed to all nations to embrace the Geneva Conventions and uphold humanity even in war.

“Last September, the ICRC, alongside Brazil, China, France, Jordan, Kazakhstan and South Africa, launched a global initiative to renew political will for international humanitarian law.

“More than 70 states have since joined us in this effort. I urge all states to do the same.

“The protective power of IHL is only as strong as leaders’ political will to uphold it. The next 76 years of the Geneva Conventions will be defined by the choices they make today to preserve – or abandon – humanity in war,” she stated.

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