International humanitarian law, also known as the law of war, is a set of rules that aims to protect civilians. It most notably stipulates that Humanitarian aid must have unimpeded passage, healthcare is safeguarded, and human lives have more weight than any object. These laws were created and implemented in order to limit the impacts of war on the civilian (those who are not directly partaking in the conflict) population.

However, it’s also integral to note that humanitarian law isn’t always strictly followed. During World War 2, the Japanese severely violated this rule of law and tortured, raped, and killed countless innocent civilians. Even in modern times, we continue to see violations, risking civilian safety.

So if nations are allowed to violate humanitarian law, why does it matter?

Well, humanitarian law allows for people who have committed war crimes (IE, violated this subset of stipulated laws) to be charged and investigated for their atrocities. It’s a legal framework that sets the platform to ensure justice is served.