The development of the specialised body of law, which is now commonly referred to as International Humanitarian Law (IHL), could be traced back to the 19th century. While the early manifestations of codification of a body of rules governing the conduct of hostilities consist of instruments such as the 1868 Declaration of St. Petersburg and the Hague Conventions of 1899 and 1907, the contemporary edifice of IHL consists of the Four Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols of 1977, which collectively provide a substantial legal framework for the protection of persons who do not or no longer take part in the conduct of hostilities (civilians/non-combatants).

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