Research shows that effective international operations mandated to protect civilians include a combination of political, civilian and military resources. But planning and implementing a comprehensive response is a challenge, especially when the operation is multilateral. This research reviews the effectiveness of multidimensional approaches and makes recommendations for improved responses.
The Civilians in Conflict project’s research looks closely at over a decade of UN peace operation efforts to protect civilians. The project’s early analysis focuses on the gaps in guidance and training for multidimensional peace operation and recommends a number of reforms. Beginning in 2009, the UN Security Council and UN General Assembly Special Committee on Peacekeeping began to request that the UN Secretariat implement many of these reforms. The project’s more recent research reviews the UN’s progress in developing guidance and training on the protection of civilians in the context of peacekeeping and recommends next steps.
Recent Research and Analysis
- Publication │ Enhancing the Protection of Civilians in Peace Operations: From Policy to Practice – A Background Paper Prepared for the Australian Government’s Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence by Alison Giffen (May 24-26, 2011)
- Publication │ Challenges of Strengthening the Protection of Civilians in Multidimensional Peace Operations by William Durch, Alison Giffen (October 1, 2010)
- Publication │ Protecting Civilians in the Context of UN Peacekeeping Operations by Victoria Holt, Glyn Taylor, Max Kelly (November 17, 2009)
- Publication │ Fulfilling the Promise of Protection: Charting a Course for Policymakers and Advocates (May 27, 2011)
- Publication │ Considerations for a New Peacekeeping Operation in South Sudan by Alison Giffen (May 4, 2011)
- Publication | Addressing the Doctrinal Deficit: Developing Guidance to Prevent and Respond to Widespread or Systematic Attacks Against Civilians by Alison Giffen (Spring 2010)
- Analysis | Mali: Planning Now for Peacebuilding by Michelle Ker and Aditi Gorur (January 25, 2013)
- Analysis │ To Combat Sexual Violence in Liberia: A Need for Sharper Focus on Traditional Justice by Sweta Maturu (September 24, 2012)
- Analysis │ Engendering Peace Support Operations: Benefits of Increased Female Participation and Leadership by Mayesha Alam (May 23, 2011)
- Analysis │ Côte d’Ivoire: UN Peacekeeping, Impartiality and Protection of Civilians by Rebecca Friedrichs (April 20, 2011)
- Timeline | Election Crisis in Côte d’Ivoire by Rebecca Friedrichs (April 20, 2011)
- Table | Protection of Civilians in UN Peacekeeping: Reform Requests and Initiatives of the Secretariat by Guy Hammond (August 1, 2011)
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Photo credit: UN Photo/Stuart Price