Through a framework of treaties, customary standards, and international organizations that support peace, limit the usage of force, and hold offenders accountable, international law primarily aims to control and prevent acts of war. The United Nations Charter (1945), which expressly forbids states from using force except in two specific situations self-defense (Article 51) and measures approved by the UN Security Council to preserve or restore international peace and security is the cornerstone of this framework.
In addition to emphasizing peaceful conflict resolution through discussions, mediation, or arbitration, this creates a legal presumption against war. The UN General Assembly's 1974 Definition of aggressiveness and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) both forbid aggressiveness, which is another essential element.
These tools allow for the punishment of those who plot or initiate acts of hostility and classify them as grave violations of the Charter. Although it came before the UN, the Kellogg-Briand Pact (1928) was an early attempt to forbid using war as a tool of national politics and helped establish the framework for later restrictions.
The Geneva Conventions of 1949 and their Additional Protocols include the laws of armed conflict, commonly known as international humanitarian law (IHL), which govern fighting itself. By securing civilians, prisoners of war, and injured people as well as by outlawing specific weapons and strategies, these regulations aim to lessen the effects of war rather than legitimize it.
In tribunals like the International Criminal Court (ICC) or ad hoc courts like those for Rwanda and the former Yugoslavia, people who violate these standards may be held personally liable for war crimes. Despite these measures, enforcement is still very difficult because strong governments frequently ignore responsibility and Security Council vetoes can prevent group action.
However, international law acts as a crucial moral and legal check on war, promoting standards that stigmatize violence, promote peaceful conflict resolution, and offer a foundation for global censure and justice in times of conflict.
