Article 50.
The Occupying Power shall, with the cooperation of the national
and local authorities, facilitate the proper working of all institutions
devoted to the care and education of children.
The Occupying Power shall take all necessary steps to facilitate
the identification of children and the registration of their parentage.
It may not, in any case, change their personal status, nor enlist
them in formations or organizations subordinate to it.
Should the local institutions be inadequate for the purpose, the
Occupying Power shall make arrangements for the maintenance and
education, if possible by persons of their own nationality, language
and religion, of children who are orphaned or separated from their
parents as a result of the war and who cannot be adequately cared
for by a near relative or friend.
A special section of the Bureau set up in accordance with Article
136 shall be responsible for taking all necessary steps to identify
children whose identity is in doubt. Particulars of their parents
or other near relatives should always be recorded if available.
The Occupying Power shall not hinder the application of any preferential
measures in regard to food, medical care and protection against
the effects of war which may have been adopted prior to the occupation
in favour of children under fifteen years, expectant mothers, and
mothers of children under seven years.
Article 51.
The Occupying Power may not compel protected persons to serve in
its armed or auxiliary forces. No pressure or propaganda which aims
at securing voluntary enlistment is permitted.
The Occupying Power may not compel protected
persons to work unless they are over eighteen years of age, and
then only on work which is necessary either for the needs of the
army of occupation, or for the public utility services, or for the
feeding, sheltering, clothing, transportation or health of the population
of the occupied country. Protected persons may not be compelled
to undertake any work which would involve them in the obligation
of taking part in military operations. The Occupying Power may not
compel protected persons to employ forcible means to ensure the
security of the installations where they are performing compulsory
labour.
The work shall be carried out only in the
occupied territory where the persons whose services have been requisitioned
are. Every such person shall, so far as possible, be kept in his
usual place of employment. Workers shall be paid a fair wage and
the work shall be proportionate to their physical and intellectual
capacities. The legislation in force in the occupied country concerning
working conditions, and safeguards as regards, in particular, such
matters as wages, hours of work, equipment, preliminary training
and compensation for occupational accidents and diseases, shall
be applicable to the protected persons assigned to the work referred
to in this Article.
In no case shall requisition of labour lead
to a mobilization of workers in an organization of a military or
semi-military character.
Article 52.
No contract, agreement or regulation shall impair the right of any
worker, whether voluntary or not and wherever he may be, to apply
to the representatives of the Protecting Power in order to request
the said Power's intervention.
All measures aiming at creating unemployment
or at restricting the opportunities offered to workers in an occupied
territory, in order to induce them to work for the Occupying Power,
are prohibited.
Article 53.
Any destruction by the Occupying Power of real or personal property
belonging individually or collectively to private persons, or to
the State, or to other public authorities, or to social or cooperative
organizations, is prohibited, except where such destruction is rendered
absolutely necessary by military operations.
Article 54.
The Occupying Power may not alter the status of public officials
or judges in the occupied territories, or in any way apply sanctions
to or take any measures of coercion or discrimination against them,
should they abstain from fulfilling their functions for reasons
of conscience.
This prohibition does not prejudice the application
of the second paragraph of Article 51. It does not affect the right
of the Occupying Power to remove public officials from their posts.
Article 55.
To the fullest extent of the means available to it, the Occupying
Power has the duty of ensuring the food and medical supplies of
the population; it should, in particular, bring in the necessary
foodstuffs, medical stores and other articles if the resources of
the occupied territory are inadequate.
The Occupying Power may not requisition foodstuffs,
articles or medical supplies available in the occupied territory,
except for use by the occupation forces and administration personnel,
and then only if the requirements of the civilian population have
been taken into account. Subject to the provisions of other international
Conventions, the Occupying Power shall make arrangements to ensure
that fair value is paid for any requisitioned goods.
The Protecting Power shall, at any time, be
at liberty to verify the state of the food and medical supplies
in occupied territories, except where temporary restrictions are
made necessary by imperative military requirements. |