Why International Humanitarian Law Prohibits Starvation as a Method of Warfare
Food, water, and other resources essential for the survival of civilians must never be used as a method of warfare. That is why international humanitarian law (IHL) prohibits starvation of civilians as a method of warfare and protects objects indispensable to their survival.
What is prohibited?
Article 54 of Additional Protocol I to the Geneva Conventions prohibits starvation of civilians as a method of warfare. The prohibition covers not only deliberately depriving civilians of food, but also destroying or otherwise making unusable objects indispensable to their survival, including:
- food supplies;
- crops and livestock;
- agricultural areas;
- drinking water sources and irrigation systems.
Humanitarian assistance is also protected
When civilians lack sufficient resources to survive, parties to the conflict must allow and facilitate the rapid and unimpeded passage of humanitarian relief. In particular, an occupying power is obliged to ensure that the population of the occupied territory has access to food, medicines, and other essential supplies. If it is unable to provide these itself, it must allow humanitarian assistance to reach those in need.
Violations may constitute a war crime
The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court classifies the intentional use of starvation of civilians as a method of warfare as a war crime. This includes deliberately depriving civilians of objects indispensable to their survival or intentionally impeding the delivery of humanitarian assistance. This prohibition is also reaffirmed in United Nations Security Council Resolution 2417 (2018).
Even during armed conflict, civilians must never become a means of achieving military objectives. That is why the prohibition of starvation, the protection of humanitarian access, and the protection of objects indispensable to the survival of civilians are among the fundamental rules of international humanitarian law.
Promoting knowledge of international humanitarian law helps ensure its proper understanding and application. The Ukrainian Red Cross conducts awareness-raising activities on IHL to help people better understand its rules and principles.