What are the international norms on armed conflict?

International law helps to protect people around the world by providing guidelines on how countries should interact with each other. When it comes to armed conflict, international law outlines the norms that are expected to be followed. At the most basic level, international law states that armed forces must follow the principles of necessity, distinction, and proportionality, meaning that the force used must be necessary to accomplish the military objective, must be used to distinguish between military and civilian targets, and must not cause more harm than necessary. This means that countries are required to take ever effort to limit the damage done to civilians and civilian infrastructure, such as schools and hospitals, during times of armed conflict. In addition, international law prohibits the intentional targeting of civilians and civilian infrastructure. The laws of war also state that individuals, who are not part of the military, must not be forced to take part of hostilities. Furthermore, individuals shall not be punished for acts which they were not aware of at the time. Finally, international law requires that all prisoners of war are treated humanely and that their rights are respected. This includes the right to receive medical care, the right to communicate with their families, and the right to practice their own religion. Overall, international law helps to ensure that everyone is treated with dignity, even during times of armed conflict. This helps to ensure that civilians are kept safe and that their rights are respected.

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What are the international norms on armed conflict?

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