Preserve Human Dignity, Respect the Rules.Preserve Human Dignity, Respect the Rules.

Preserving human dignity is the heart of the laws of war. It derives from a key principle of international humanitarian law, the principle of humanity, which implies an inherent worth and dignity of the people, and by extension, the right to life.

As explained in the “Humanitarian Law” section the laws of war attempt to maintain a balance between two rather opposed imperatives: 1. Military necessity (well, war is here, and the idea is that the fighting parties are allowed to do whatever is necessary to win the war – as long as they respect the rules); 2. Humanity (while waging war, the fighting parties must preserve the civilians, their houses, etc., whatever is indispensable to their survival, those who will look after them such as medical personnel and humanitarian workers).

Preserving humanity in war thus encompasses all measures necessary to protect those who do not fight (civilians) or no longer fight (wounded fighters, those who surrendered and/or got captured).

See the designs “I’m Not a Target” or “War is for Warriors,Not Civilians” for more explanations.