Status of Prisoners of War in the Contemporary World

The Third Geneva Convention is a global treaty that ensures humane treatment for prisoners of war (POWs) in contemporary conflicts. POWs are entitled to freedom of movement, protection from public curiosity, and protection from violence or intimidation. In non-international armed conflicts, captured insurgents are not considered POWs. However, their condition is equally deplorable. In 2018, Yemeni parties and the Arab Coalition Representative signed an agreement to exchange all prisoners, detainees, missing persons, arbitrarily detained, and those under house arrest. The Convention mandates equal treatment for all prisoners, including women. On the ground, the condition of the POWs is horrific, especially for the females who are subjected to sexual assault apart from undergoing other challenges for survival. This article provides a critique of the status of prisoners of war vis-à-vis the provisions of the Third Geneva Convention. A debate on the condition of POWs becomes even more imperative due to emerging scenarios attributed to armed conflicts in various parts of the world today.