Critically discuss the specific protections afforded to medical Essay

Critically discuss the specific protections afforded to medical personnel, clergymen and journalists under international humanitarian law - Essay Example Giving special protection to specifically listed persons can be traced from the earlier versions of humanitarian laws. There has been extensive as well as futuristic development of treaty rules pertaining to this area of special protection till now. To this effect the Geneva conventions along with the Hague regulations have a status which is purely customary. The various laws framed for the protection of specific persons are the Lieber code of 1863 which included rule for protection of hospitals as well as cultural property. The Geneva Convention of 1864, had rules for the safety of medical personnel, transport and equipment. The 1899 and 1907 Hague regulations containing rules to exclude edifices related to religion, art, science, charity, and hospitals etc. The 1907 Hague convention also contained rules to spare historic monuments form bombardment. Moreover the two Hague conventions also contained directions not to target journalists at the time of war. The 1949 Geneva Convention had many provisions that exclude targeting of specifically listed persons as well as objects. The Geneva Convention I also contained specific provisions to protect hospitals, ships used as hospitals and medical people and equipments. The Geneva Convention IV includes detailed regulations concerning hospital zones, safety zones and civilians who are not yet occupied from the effects of the war. The Geneva convention I also includes regulations for the protection of national Red Cross societies and other voluntary aid organizations. However the four Geneva conventions do not include any special provisions regarding journalists. The third convention contains a statement that the war correspondent if captured should enjoy the status of a POW. No provisions are there which avoids a journalist from targeting. The Geneva Convention has included provisions regarding protection of women and her honour particularly from atrocities like rape