PROTECTION OF SPECIAL CATEGORIES OF PERSONS IN ARMED CONFLICTS

JONČIĆ Miloš (Istraživač-saradnik u Institutu za međunarodnu politiku i privredu, Beograd), mjoncic@diplomacy.bg.ac.rs

War as a method of dispute resolution has been present since ancient times. The consequences of the war affect the civilian population, perhaps even more than members of armed forces. Among civilian victims the war makes the greatest impact on women and children. Therefore, it is necessary to pay more attention to this category of persons who are protected in armed conflicts. The existing international norms and rules clearly indicate that a certain degree of protection is achieved, but in this area of constant improvement is necessary. This paper analyses the existing rules, noting where protection could be improved. The work is divided into two parts. The first relates to the special protection of women in armed conflict, and the other is dedicated to the protection of children. In both parts the attention has been given to the normative solutions in written International Humanitarian Law and international custom law. All four Geneva Conventions of 1949 has been reviewed. Additional protocols to these Conventions have also been a part of the research.

Keywords: Civilians, armed conflicts, special categories of persons, women, children