4GC: Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Treatment of Civilian Persons in Time of War, 1949

This is one of four Conventions adopted in Geneva in 1949 to provide protections for various categories of non-combatants, including wounded and sick combatants and prisoners of war, during armed conflict. The Fourth Convention provides protections for the civilian population, which means, primarily, women and children. It mandates special protections for the wounded, sick and aged persons, children under 15, expectant mothers and mothers of children under 7. The Convention requires that women be "protected against any attack on their honor, in particular against rape, enforced prostitution, or any form of indecent assault". However, such acts are not considered to be "grave breaches" of the Geneva Conventions unless they can be characterized as torture or inhuman treatment, or willfully causing great suffering, or serious injury to body or health. This suggests that sexual attacks against women are considered to be less significant than many other war crimes. The Statute of the International Criminal Court (see below) makes important advances in the law relating to gendered crimes during armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions are considered to be customary international law, so even countries that have not ratified them are bound to enforce them.