Atrocities in conflict mean we need the Geneva conventions more than ever

By Helen Durham, director of international law and policy at the ICRC.

Don't dismiss the law of war – it has never been better known by the public and the outrage expressed when it is breached has never been greater.

When world leaders meet in Turkey for the world humanitarian summit next month, a crucial issue on the agenda will be how to strengthen respect for the law of war.

This is something the world desperately needs.

Given the stream of images flashing across our smartphones or TV screens – of hospitals bombed, populations besieged or millions uprooted from their homes – it is not surprising that many people question whether the laws governing armed conflict work at all.

>> Read full article in The Guardian