International Humanitarian Law is a body of law that seeks to protect individuals and objects that are not or are no longer participating in hostilities, such as civilians, medical personnel, and cultural property.

The principle of distinction requires parties to a conflict to distinguish between combatants and civilians, and to direct their attacks only at combatants. The principle of proportionality prohibits attacks that are expected to cause excessive civilian casualties or damage to civilian property. The principle of necessity prohibits attacks that are not militarily necessary.

The Geneva Convention is a series of four treaties that were adopted in 1864, 1906, 1929, and 1949. The treaties set out the basic principles of International Humanitarian Law and provide protection for the wounded and sick, prisoners of war, and civilians in armed conflict.

Protocol I was adopted in 1977 to supplement the Geneva Convention. It expands the scope of protection provided by the Geneva Convention to include non-international armed conflicts and sets out additional rules for the conduct of hostilities.

Protocol II was adopted in 1999 to supplement the Geneva Convention. It sets out rules for the conduct of hostilities in non-international armed conflicts.

The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court was adopted in 1998 to establish the International Criminal Court. The Court has jurisdiction to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.

The Convention on Prohibitions or Restrictions on the Use of Certain Conventional Weapons Which May Be Deemed to Be Excessively Injurious or to Have Indiscriminate Effects was adopted in 1980 to prohibit the use of certain conventional weapons, such as landmines, cluster munitions, and incendiary weapons.

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on Their Destruction was adopted in 1997 to prohibit the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of anti-personnel landmines.

The Convention on Cluster Munitions was adopted in 2008 to prohibit the use, stockpiling, production, and transfer of cluster munitions.

The Chemical Weapons Convention was adopted in 1993 to prohibit the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons.

The Biological Weapons Convention was adopted in 1972 to prohibit the development, production, and stockpiling of biological weapons.

The Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons was adopted in 1968 to prohibit the proliferation of nuclear weapons.

The Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty was adopted in 1996 to prohibit the comprehensive nuclear-test-ban.

The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons was adopted in 2017 to prohibit the use of nuclear weapons.

The Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees was adopted in 1954 to establish the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.