Basic Principles for the Protection of Civilian Populations in Armed Conflicts

A/RES/2675(XXV)View PDF

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

A Resolution of the General Assembly, published in 1971.

What subjects does this mandate have?

6 subjects

Civilian Persons Hospitals Human Rights in Armed Conflicts Humanitarian Assistance Population Transfers Principles

What’s in this document?

8 operative paragraphs

Fundamental human rights, as accepted in international law and laid down in international instruments, continue to apply fully in situations of armed conflict.

In the conduct of military operations during armed conflicts, a distinction must be made at all times between persons actively taking part in the hostilities and civilian populations.

In the conduct of military operations, every effort should be made to spare civilian populations from the ravages of war, and all necessary precautions should be taken to avoid injury, loss or damage to civilian populations.

Civilian populations as such should not be the object of military operations.

Dwellings and other installations that are used only by civilian populations should not be the object of military operations.

Places or areas designated for the sole protection of civilians, such as hospital zones or similar refuges, should not be the ob1ect of military operations.

Civilian populations, or individual members thereof, should not be the object of reprisals, forcible transfers or other assaults on their integrity.

The provision of international relief to civilian populations is in conformity with the humanitarian principles of the Charter of the United Nations, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and other international instruments in the field of human rights.

The Declaration of Principles for International Humanitarian Relief to the Civilian Population in Disaster Situations, as laid down in resolution XXVI adopted by the twenty-first International Conference of the Red Cross, 27 shall apply in situations of armed conflict, and all parties to a conflict should make every effort to facilitate this application.

9 December 1970.

General Aasembly-Twenty-fifth Ses~ion

Who adopted this document and its mandates?

What subjects does this mandate have?

What’s in this document?

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