CAB129-33 — Page 310

APPENDIX D

C. R. G. C./P(48)55 162

Appendix D

Page 310

INTERDEPARTMENTAL COMMITTEE ON THE

REVISION OF THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS

REPORT BY THE CHAIRMAN

REPORT OF THE SUB-COMMITTEE ON THE TREATMENT OF WOMEN (see Report -paragraphs 92, 298, 354 and 383)

The Sub-Committee on the Treatment of Women was appointed at the 10th meeting of the Committee "to consider and report whether any further provisions regarding the treatment of women were necessary".

2. The Sub-Committee held one meeting and its conclusions were unanimous. It examined the position of women in the light of the considerations set out in C. R. G.C./P(48)23, 24 and 25 and with particular regard to the difficulties experienced by members of the Nursing Services who were captured in the Far East during the Second World War.

Means of Identification.

3.

The Sub-Committee regard as of the highest importance:-

(a) that all members of the Nursing Services or of the Women's

Services should in war-time be clothed in a distinctive uniform and wear badges;

(b) that notification should be made to all adverse belligerents, as in the case of the male forces, of the ranks, titles, uniforms and badges of the Nursing Services and the Women's Services, irrespective of whether they have a military or oivilian status, so that the enemy may recognise them as protected by the Prisoners of War Convention, the Red Cross Convention and the 10th Hague Convention, or any future Conventions which may take their place;

(0) that the necessary machinery should be set up to ensure that these things are done and that every woman concerned is provided, in time of war, with a proper identity certificate.

These recommendations are made because the military nursing personnel captured in the Far East in the Second World War had the greatest difficulty in convincing the Japanese military authorities that they were entitled to the protection of the 1929 Geneva Wounded and Sick Convention, and that they should therefore be respected and treated with humanity.

Standards of Treatment.

4. The Sub-Committee are satisfied that the provisions proposed in the Prisoners of War Convention for safeguarding the treatment of prisoners of war are generally appropriate and adequate to secure, if observed, the proper treatment of women, subject to specific additional provisions being included to ensure that separate accommodation is provided for women for sleeping and for hygiene arrangements.

Disciplinary Provisions.

The

5. The Sub-Committee take the view that it would be impracticable to attempt to secure a special disciplinary or judicial code for application to women who may be made prisoners of war. Cases did, however, occur in the Far East in the Second World War where women were imprisoned in male prisons. Sub-Committee recommend that a provision should be embodied in any future Prisoners of War Convention requiring separate accommodation to be provided for women undergoing disciplinary or judicial sentences in confinement and that they should be under the immediate oare and supervision of women.

Work.

6.

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The Sub-Committee are satisfied that the safeguards set out in the

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Prisoners of ar Convention to protect. prisoners of war from doing work for which they are not suited or physically fit are generally adequate; but haging regard to the work which is normally expected from women in some clue! h488onsider that it would be sirable, 4 at all possible, to protect women who may be made prisoners of war from being required to undertake unduly heavy work such as timber-felling, heavy lifting, etc. which might well cause serious physical harm to them. The Sub-Committee recognise that to find a suitable form of words to secure this result will not be easy. They recommend that the Drafting Sub-Committee should be invited to give special attention to this problem.