International Humanitarian Law and International Justice Mechanisms
International Relations
- PYQs8
- Articles1
Background
Understanding international legal frameworks and institutions is crucial for analyzing global governance, human rights issues, and the accountability of states and individuals in armed conflicts. India's stance on these matters reflects its commitment to a rules-based international order.
International Humanitarian Law (IHL) is a set of rules seeking to limit the effects of armed conflict, protecting persons who are not or are no longer participating in hostilities and restricting the means and methods of warfare. Key instruments include the Genocide Convention of 1948, and its enforcement relies on international justice mechanisms like the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Facts & tables
- Genocide Convention (1948)
- Defines genocide and obliges states to prevent and punish it.
- International Court of Justice (ICJ)
- The principal judicial organ of the UN, settling legal disputes between states.
- International Criminal Court (ICC)
- Investigates and tries individuals for the gravest international crimes: genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity.
- UN Commission of Inquiry
- The article mentions a UN commission concluding Israeli authorities were committing genocide in Gaza.
| Type | Reference |
|---|---|
| Conceptual area | International Relations |
| Body | Role |
|---|---|
| International Court of Justice (ICJ) | Adjudicates disputes between states |
| International Criminal Court (ICC) | Prosecutes individuals for international crimes |
| United Nations (UN) | Promotes international law and peace |
Prelims angle
Prelims angle: Factual recall
Prelims angle: Multi-statement analysis
- IHL: Rules governing armed conflict, protecting non-combatants.
- Genocide Convention (1948): Defines and prohibits genocide.
- ICJ: UN's principal judicial organ, settles state disputes.
- ICC: Independent court, prosecutes individuals for grave international crimes.
- Role in accountability for war crimes and human rights violations.
Treaty = agreement between states; body = institution.
| Year | Framing tags |
|---|---|
| 2026 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2025 | Factual recall, Conceptual understanding |
| 2023 | Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis |
| 2022 | Statement-based questions, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall |
| 2022 | Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions |
| 2018 | Conceptual understanding, Policy measures |
| 2017 | Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions |
Timeline
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International Relations
Conceptual area
-
Prelims 2017
Statement-based questions, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2018
Conceptual understanding, Policy measures
-
Prelims 2022
Statement-based questions, Factual recall
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Factual recall
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Prelims 2022
Multi-statement analysis, Institutional roles and functions
-
Prelims 2023
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
-
Prelims 2025
Factual recall, Conceptual understanding
-
Prelims 2026
Factual recall, Multi-statement analysis
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Sonia Gandhi hits out at Modi government’s ‘stony silence’ on Gaza ‘genocide’
IHL, including the Genocide Convention, aims to regulate armed conflict and protect civilians, with bodies like the ICJ and ICC providing mechanisms for international justice and accountability for war crimes and genocide.
See also
Past papers
2017–2026 · 8 questions
In the news
Sonia Gandhi hits out at Modi government’s ‘stony silence’ on Gaza ‘genocide’
IHL, including the Genocide Convention, aims to regulate armed conflict and protect civilians, with bodies like the ICJ and ICC providing mechanisms for international justice and accountability for war crimes and genocide.
Try these PYQs
Which of the following international conventions have **not** been ratified by India?
1. Employment Policy Convention
2. Abolition of Forced Labour Convention
3. International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families
4. Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War
5. Convention on Reduction of Statelessness
Select the answer using the code given below:
Statement 1 is Incorrect: The Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (ILO No. 122) is one of the International Labour Organization's governance (priority) conventions. India ratified it on November 17, 1998. Statement 2 is Incorrect: The Abolition of Forced Labour Convention, 1957 (ILO No. 105) is a fundamental ILO convention. India ratified it on May 18, 2000. Statement 3 is Correct: The International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990) is a UN multilateral treaty. India has neither signed nor ratified this convention. Statement 4 is Incorrect: The Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (1949) (also known as the Fourth Geneva Convention) was ratified by India on November 9, 1950, and implemented domestically via the Geneva Conventions Act, 1960. *(Note: The question setter likely confused this with the 1951 Refugee Convention, which was adopted in Geneva and which India has not ratified).* Statement 5 is Correct: The Convention on Reduction of Statelessness (1961) has not been signed or ratified by India. India is not a party to the 1951 Refugee Convention, the 1954 Convention on Statelessness, or this 1961 Convention. *Conclusion:* Factually, only conventions 3 and 5 have not been ratified by India. However, among the given options, there is a discrepancy as no option perfectly matches "3 and 5". Since any correct answer must include the unratified conventions 3 and 5, Option D is the only possible choice by elimination.
With reference to the United Nations General Assembly, consider the following statements:
1. The UN General Assembly can grant observer status to the non-member States.
2. Inter-governmental organisations can seek observer status in the UN General Assembly.
3. Permanent Observers in the UN General Assembly can maintain missions at the UN headquarters.
Which of the statements given above are correct ?
Statement 1 is correct. The United Nations General Assembly may grant non-member states, international organizations, and other entities Permanent Observer Status. Statement 2 is correct. The General Assembly decided that observer status would be confined to States and intergovernmental organizations whose activities cover matters of interest to the Assembly. Statement 3 is correct. Permanent Observers may participate in the sessions and workings of the General Assembly and maintain missions at the UN Headquarters.
Consider the following statements:
1. Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in north -western Kenya.
2. Some people who fled from South Sudan civil war live in Bidibidi.
3. Some people who fled from civil war in Somalia live in Dadaab refugee complex in Kenya.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is Incorrect: Bidibidi is a large refugee settlement in northwestern Uganda, not Kenya. Statement 2 is Correct: People fleeing the civil war in South Sudan have been hosted in the Bidibidi settlement. Statement 3 is Correct: The Dadaab refugee complex is located in Kenya and houses refugees, including those who fled the civil war in Somalia. Therefore, the correct statements are 2 and 3 only.
With reference to the “United Nations Credentials Committee”, consider the following statements:
1. It is a committee set up by the UN Security Council and works under its supervision.
2. It traditionally meets in March, June and September every year.
3. It assesses the credentials of all UN members before submitting a report to the General Assembly for approval.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The United Nations Credentials Committee is a committee of the United Nations General Assembly. Statement 2 is incorrect. A Credentials Committee is appointed at the beginning of each regular session of the General Assembly. It consists of nine members, who are appointed by the General Assembly on the proposal of the President. Statement 3 is correct. The Committee reports to the Assembly on the credentials of representatives. The Committee is mandated to examine the credentials of representatives of Member States and to report to the General Assembly thereon (Rule 28 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly). The credentials of representatives and the names of members of the delegation of each Member State are submitted to the Secretary-General and are issued either by the Head of the State or Government or by the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Rule 27 of the Rules of Procedure of the General Assembly).
India is one of the founding members of the International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC), a multimodal transportation corridor, which will connect
The International North-South Transport Corridor (INSTC) is a multimodal transport network aimed at boosting trade between India, Central Asia, Russia, and Europe, using a combination of sea, rail, and road routes via Iran. The corridor connects Mumbai → Bandar Abbas (Iran) → Azerbaijan → Russia → Europe, with access to Central Asia.
Show 3 more PYQs
Consider the following statements:
1. The Nuclear Security Summits are periodically held under the aegis of the United Nations.
2. The International Panel on Fissile Materials is an organ of the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Statement 1 is incorrect. The Nuclear Security Summits were not held under the UN. They were a series of international conferences initiated by the United States in 2010, outside of any formal international organisation. The summits brought together world leaders to discuss ways to secure nuclear materials and prevent nuclear proliferation. However, the summits haven't been held since 2016. Statement 2 is incorrect. The International Panel on Fissile Materials (IPFM) is an independent group of arms control and non-proliferation experts. It's not an organ of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). While the IAEA might collaborate with the IPFM on some issues, it's a separate entity.
Consider the following pairs :
Regions : often Reason for being in news
1. North Kivu and Ituri : War between Armenia and Azerbaijan
2. Nagorno-Karabakh : Insurgency in Mozambique
3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia : Dispute between Israel and Lebanon
How many of the above pairs are correctly matched ?
None of the pairs (1, 2, or 3) are correctly matched. Let's break it down: 1. North Kivu and Ituri: This region in the Democratic Republic of Congo experiences conflict, but is not related to the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan. 2. Nagorno-Karabakh: This enclave is disputed between Armenia and Azerbaijan, but the insurgency is happening in Mozambique. 3. Kherson and Zaporizhzhia: These are currently under heavy fighting in the Russia-Ukraine war, not a dispute between Israel and Lebanon.
In the Indian context, what is the implication of ratifying the 'Additional Protocol' with the `International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)'?
India signed the Additional Protocol to the IAEA safeguards agreement on May 15, 2009. An additional protocol to the Safeguards Agreement between the Government of India and the IAEA for the Application of Safeguards to Civilian Nuclear Facilities entered into force on 25 July 2014. Hence option 1 is correct.