The Additional Protocols, adopted in 1977, strengthened and extended the protection for victims of international (Protocol I) and non-international (Protocol II) armed conflict. Until now, 167 States are party to Additional Protocol I and 163 are party to Additional Protocol II.

Below are links to documents that describe some of the major advances introduced by the Additional Protocols:

limits are placed on the right to choose methods and means of warfare ;

the need to protect the environment in war time is recognized;



new weapons must be assessed to ensure they meet requirements of humanitarian law;

civilians must be protected against the effects of hostilities



by prohibiting:
• direct attacks on civilians or civilian objects
• indiscriminate attacks

and by requiring:

• that precautions be taken by commanders to avoid civilian casualties
  
  
women and children are to be granted preferential treatment

cultural objects + objects indispensable to civilian survival (such as food and water) must be protected;

new conditions for granting guerrilla fighters combatant status and possibly prisoner-of-war status;

protection of the wounded and sick and of the missing is increased;

improved protection given to civilian medical personnel, transport and units ;

promotion of humanitarian work on behalf of the civilian population

fundamental guarantees (such as in the case of internment/administrative detention), summary of minimum of protection

ensure implementation of the rules to those who have to apply them:


• giving more responsibility to commanders and extending the list of acts considered “grave breaches” or “war crimes” (AP I) - See sections on: penal repression and international criminal jurisdiction
  
  
• improving respect i.a. through the establishment of the international Fact-Finding Comission
  
  
  
  

Read also :

Status of the Protocols Additional to the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and relating to the protection of victims of armed conflict, United Nations, General Assembly, Statement by the International Committee of the Red Cross, 18 October 2006


International Review of the Red Cross No. 320, 1997, special issue on the 20th anniversary of the 1977 Additional Protocols