Remarque

Ce format d’histoire multimédia utilise du contenu audio et vidéo. Veuillez vérifier que vos haut-parleurs sont allumés.

Utilisez la roulette de la souris ou les touches de direction de votre clavier pour parcourir les pages.

Balayer pour parcourir les pages.

Démarrer

75 years of the Geneva Conventions

Logo https://admin.media-flow.ch/75-years-of-the-geneva-conventions

Introduction

Welcome to the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs' digital platform dedicated to exploring the Geneva Conventions. On the occasion of the 75th anniversary of these treaties, the cornerstone of international humanitarian law (IHL), we revisit the origins of the Geneva Conventions, the challenges they face and Switzerland's actions to implement them. We invite you on a multimedia journey through infographics, videos and texts, tracing the path from Solferino to Geneva, with a stop in Bern. Enjoy your discovery.

Turn your mobile phone horizontally for a better experience.

Deutsch    Français    Italiano
Accéder à la première page

Stühle

0:00
/
0:00
Démarrer la vidéo maintenant
Accéder à la première page

Table des matières

Scroll up
Scroll left
Scroll right
Scroll down
Accéder à la première page

0:00
/
0:00
Démarrer la vidéo maintenant
Accéder à la première page
Accéder à la première page
Fermer
Accéder à la première page

Que sont les Conventions de Genève

The Geneva Conventions are international treaties which, together with their three Additional Protocols, constitute the pillars of international humanitarian law (IHL). Their aim is to mitigate the brutality of warfare by establishing minimum humanitarian standards that must be respected in all armed conflicts.

The Geneva Conventions protect people who are not taking part in hostilities (civilians, medical personnel or members of humanitarian organisations) as well as those who are no longer taking part in the fighting (wounded, sick and shipwrecked persons, and prisoners of war).

Switzerland is the depositary of the four Geneva Conventions, adopted in 1949, and their three Additional Protocols of 1977 and 2005.

The Geneva Conventions in five points


Accéder à la première page

La Suisse et les Conventions de Genève, quelle histoire?

1859: Battle of Solferino: Henry Dunant initiated the first actions to protect victims of war, leading to the creation of the ICRC).

1864-1929: International conferences (Geneva, The Hague): Conventions adopted to protect war victims and regulate methods and means of warfare.

1939-1945: Second World War: Highlighted the need to strengthen existing IHL protections.

1949: Geneva: Federal Councillor Max Petitpierre chaired an international conference that drafted the four Geneva Conventions of 1949, which were later supplemented by the Additional Protocols.  

The Geneva Conventions in five points






Accéder à la première page

Quel est l'impact des Conventions de Genève?

The Geneva Conventions continue to save millions of lives threatened by hundreds of conflicts worldwide, reunite countless separated family members and offer solace to thousands of prisoners of war. The Geneva Conventions aim to limit the effects of armed conflict and can thus facilitate a return to peace.

The Geneva Conventions in five points
Accéder à la première page

The idea that the most vulnerable should be protected from war dates back to ancient times and is not unique to any single culture or people.  

For example, the prologue to the Code of Hammurabi, issued by the Babylonian king of the same name nearly 4,000 years ago, states that these laws are promulgated "so that the strong may not oppress the weak".
Accéder à la première page
The modern era of protecting civilians and efforts to reduce war-related suffering can be traced back to Solferino. At the centre of this story is Henry Dunant, a citizen of Geneva.
Accéder à la première page
It all began in 1859. During a trip to northern Italy, Dunant witnessed the horrors of the Battle of Solferino. Deeply moved by the suffering of the wounded left untreated, he wrote 'A Memory of Solferino'.

This book proposed two revolutionary ideas: creating relief societies to care for the war-wounded in each country and concluding an international agreement to protect the wounded and medical personnel.
Accéder à la première page
0:00
/
0:00
Démarrer la vidéo maintenant
Accéder à la première page
These visionary proposals led to the creation of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in 1863.

In 1864, Switzerland organised a diplomatic conference that resulted in the Geneva Convention for the Amelioration of the Condition of the Wounded in Armies in the Field – the First Geneva Convention – laying the foundations of modern IHL.
Accéder à la première page
Nevertheless, the atrocities witnessed during the Second World War made it abundantly clear that there was a pressing need to bolster the protection of civilians. Recognising the urgent need for action, Switzerland, under the leadership of Federal Councillor Max Petitpierre, convened a diplomatic conference in Geneva in 1949 to address these concerns.

The participating states took just four months to approve the revision of the existing conventions and the addition of a fourth covering civilians. The four Geneva Conventions resulting from this conference were adopted in 1949

1. Protection of wounded and sick soldiers on land during war.

2. Protection of  wounded, sick and shipwrecked military personnel at sea during war

3.  Prisoners of war

4. Protection of civilians 
Accéder à la première page
Accéder à la première page

Violations of IHL have severe consequences for civilian populations. Under the conventions, states parties are obliged to respect their provisions and ensure compliance, thereby reinforcing both individual and collective responsibility. IHL requires states to take all necessary legislative and judicial measures to prosecute those who commit or order the commission of grave breaches.

Switzerland has made respecting, promoting and implementing IHL a constant priority of its foreign policy. Consequently, Switzerland has the tools and mechanisms needed not only to disseminate and provide training in IHL but also to prosecute war crimes at national level.

At international level, it is also actively involved in the fight against impunity, particularly by supporting the International Criminal Court.

The Geneva Conventions in five points
Accéder à la première page

0:00
/
0:00
Démarrer la vidéo maintenant
Accéder à la première page
More than 100 active conflicts worldwide are causing immense human suffering. Humanitarian crises are multiplying. The commemoration of the adoption of the Geneva Conventions is therefore taking place in a complex and tense political context.
Accéder à la première page
In light of this situation, the Conventions remain more relevant than ever. They embody the strongest universal consensus on preserving our shared humanity during wartime, underscoring their continued significance, utility and importance. The Geneva Conventions remain our most effective instrument for protecting victims of armed conflicts.
Accéder à la première page
"It's important to recognise that the Conventions are often respected. Each instance of compliance means that suffering is prevented, prisoners are kept safe and families can be informed," explains Franz Perrez, director of the FDFA's Directorate of International Law, in an interview.


Accéder à la première page
However, violations of IHL in armed conflicts worldwide are still far too common and result in unacceptable humanitarian consequences.
Accéder à la première page
Accéder à la première page

At a time when the global situation is marked by conflicts causing immense suffering, elevating IHL to a political priority is imperative.

The 75th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions is an opportunity for all states to take concrete steps to renew their commitment in the name of a common humanity and to ensure respect for IHL.

All states have an obligation to respect and ensure respect for the Geneva Conventions in all circumstances. In this regard, Switzerland calls on all states and other actors to use their influence to prevent and stop violations of IHL.

The Geneva Conventions in five points
Accéder à la première page

0:00
/
0:00
Démarrer la vidéo maintenant
Accéder à la première page
In our increasingly digitalised societies, the use of digital technologies in armed conflicts by various actors is a reality. This has an impact on how conflicts are conducted, how humanitarian operations are carried out and how affected populations utilise these new technologies.
Accéder à la première page
Philippe Stoll, senior techplomacy delegate at the ICRC, states: "Even in the digital space, war has limits. It's our position that the Geneva Conventions, despite the fact that they were adopted 75 years ago, remain fully applicable to modern conflicts. They restrict cyber operations in armed conflicts just as much as they do conventional types of weapons and methods of warfare. This underscores the Conventions' enduring relevance. As custodians of the Geneva Conventions, we must continually analyse and apply their principles to emerging warfare contexts."
Accéder à la première page
Accéder à la première page
Faire défiler pour continuer Glissez pour continuer
Balayer pour continuer
Fermer
Aperçu
Faire défiler vers la gauche
Chapitre 1 Introduction

75 years of the Geneva Conventions

Chapitre 2 Stühle

Chapitre 3 Table des matières

Faire défiler vers la droite