Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Response (HA/DR): Protection of Civilians

CIVIC envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. We support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to civilian harm.

This article explores protection of civilians in conflict from a legal and IHL perspective. In an armed conflict, who can be called a ‘civilian’? A ‘protected civilian’? What are the rules governing the protection of civilians under international humanitarian law (IHL)? What protection does the law afford to women? Children? Refugees? Internally displaced persons (IDPs)?

Protection for the civilian population is a basic element of humanitarian law: civilians and all those not taking part in the fighting must on no account be attacked and must be spared and protected.

PAX is the largest peace organization in the Netherlands. We work to protect civilians against acts of war, to end armed violence and to build inclusive peace. We work in conflict areas worldwide, together with local partners and people who, just like us, believe that everyone has a right to a dignified life in a peaceful society.

This brief aims to provide security actors with an overview of challenges, mitigation strategies, and considerations to protecting civilians during urban operations. This paper contributes to discussions on a comprehensive approach to protecting civilians in urban operations based on cases from Afghanistan, Gaza, Iraq, Nigeria, Philippines, Syria, Somalia, Ukraine, and Yemen.

CIVIC and 12 other humanitarian and human rights NGOs, who seek improved military conduct to minimize civilian harm, have offered a series of concrete recommendations on how the impending policy can better safeguard civilian lives, property, and infrastructure in U.S. military operations and its security partnerships.

The article addresses the impact of private military companies on the protection of civilians focusing on terminology, legal architecture, case studies where civilian harm is attributable to PMCs, issues around accountability for PMCs and providing actionable recommendations.

This report concerns the nascent practice of security actor-implemented reporting mechanisms: means and channels allowing civil society organizations and (affected) civilians to directly report an allegation of civilian harm to the security actor they deem responsible.

This report details the proceedings and findings of the October 2021 Protection of Civilians Tabletop Exercise (TTX), which was organised by PAX and the Stimson Center. This event brought together a diverse group of military and civilian participants to study and understand better the impact of high-intensity urban conflict on civilians.

Civilian perceptions on Al Shabaab and harm from US airstrikes in Jubbaland, Somalia from PAX.

This report aims to condense a set of best practices on civilian harm mitigation and response (CHMR) in U.S. military operations, serving as an introduction for interested personnel at all levels and all areas of the Department of Defense.

This plan addresses a range of thematic categories, including executive leadership; organization and personnel; doctrine, strategy, and training; operational capabilities and processes; data management; assessments of civilian harm; acknowledgements and responses to civilian harm; and working with allies and partners.

This memo from the DoD outlines the order to produce a Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan (CHMR-AP)

The Protection of Civilians Allied Command Operations (ACO) Handbook published in March 2021 supports the integration of the NATO Protection of Civilians approach in the planning and conduct of NATO operations and missions. The protection of the civilian population is a fundamental requirement to achieving long-lasting peace

Significant strides were made last week in how the U.S. Department of Defense prevents and mitigates civilian harm but more needs to be done.

As the Department of Defense (DoD) works to overhaul its civilian harm policies, congressional action and oversight is crucial for ensuring that these efforts are transparent, sustainable, accountable, and effective.

On Congress’ legislative agenda is passing a National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), the annual defense spending bill. This year, the bill features a number of provisions dealing broadly with security cooperation, including arms sales, defense services, and train and equip missions.

In this report, researchers from the RAND Corporation and CNA conduct an independent assessment of DoD standards, processes, procedures, and policies relating to civilian casualties resulting from U.S. military operations.