Introduction to International Humanitarian Law (IHL). In a world where warfare and civil strife are a daily reality for millions, International Humanitarian Law provides a framework for protection for civilians and combatants alike. The conduct for warfare as embodied by IHL is laid out in the Geneva Conventions of 1949. The American Red Cross, part of the global network of Red Cross and Red Crescent National Societies, has a unique mandate to educate the American public about the Fundamental Principles  and IHL as it applies to the protection of combatants, prisoners of war and civilians.