eli5 How does the Geneva convention work? How can it be enforced if nations are already at war? What incentive do armies have for following it?

Question

I mean there are no referees on the battlefield.

In: 3

Answer 1

Nations at war generally have some allies and they want to keep getting aid from them. At the very least they dont want to make more enemies than they already have.

To bring an example – Ukraine is very motivated to keep to Geneva conventions. Russia not so much, they don’t have any allies anyway and any cooperation they get is despite Geneva conventions not because of them.