since the beginning humans have resorted to violence as a way to settle disagreements yet through the ages people from around the world have tried to limit the brutality of war it was this humanitarian spirit that led to the first geneva convention of 1864 and to the birth of modern international humanitarian law setting the basic limits on how wars can be fought these universal laws of war protect those not fighting as well as those no longer able to to do this a distinction must always be made between who or what may be attacked and who or what must be spared and protected most importantly civilians can never be targeted to do so is a war crime when they drove into a village they shouted that they were going to kill everyone i was so scared i ran to hide in the bush i heard my mother screaming i thought i would never see her again every possible care must be taken to avoid harming civilians or destroying things essential for their survival they have a right to receive the help they need the conditions prisoners lived in never used to bother me people like him were the reason my brother was dead he was the enemy and was nothing to me but then i realized that behind bars he was out of action and no longer a threat to me and my family the laws of war prohibit torture and other ill treatment of detainees whatever their past they must be given food and water and allowed to communicate with loved ones this preserves their dignity and keeps them alive medical workers save lives sometimes in the most dangerous conditions fighters from both sides were wounded in a deadly battle we were taking them to the nearest hospital at the checkpoint a soldier threatened us to treat his men only we were running out of time and i was afraid that now all of them were going to die medical workers must always be allowed to do their job and the red cross or red crescent must not be attacked the sick or wounded have a right to be cared for regardless of whose side they're on advances in weapons technology have meant that the rules of war have also had to adapt because some weapons and methods of warfare don't distinguish between fighters and civilians limits on their use have been agreed in the future wars may be fought with fully autonomous robots but will such robots ever have the ability to distinguish between a military target and someone who must never be attacked no matter how sophisticated weapons become it is essential that they are in line with the rules of war international humanitarian law is all about making choices that preserve a minimum of human dignity in times of war and make sure that living together again is possible once the last bullet has been shot