Worldwide, civilians often face harm in modern conflicts. As a multinational, crisis management organization, NATO’s alliance supports its member countries and efforts to foster peace and security—in Iraq, Afghanistan, the Balkans, and the Mediterranean—as well as to mitigate harm to civilians.
In 2016, the NATO Policy on the Protection of Civilians (PoC) made protection an explicit goal of future operations, kicking off development of a military concept on PoC, an action plan, and guidance. Whether in active security operations, train and assist missions, or support to disaster relief, NATO policy is to mitigate harm from its own actions and protect civilians from the harm of others.
To help NATO succeed, Stimson’s innovative project, in partnership with PAX and supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, will cultivate and offer external expertise to NATO and help assess the levels of current doctrine and guidance within NATO nations and partners on protection of civilians. Emphasis will be on solutions-focused research and on building bridges across governments, academia, international organizations and NGOs.
Human Security and the Protection of Civilians are not only important but central to the Alliance's purpose
May 12, 2022
Tabletop exercise, co-organized by Stimson and PAX, demonstrates how NATO can build capacity and awareness to protect civilians in urban areas.
March 22, 2022
As Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine grinds away, decimating cities and claiming more civilian lives each day, Western policymakers are grasping for ways to stop the killing.
March 19, 2022
Russia’s invasion of Ukraine demonstrates how important PoC is to NATO’s present and future
March 17, 2022
Examining the role of NATO’s PoC policy in the context of future Article 5 collective defense operations
November 4, 2021
Revitalizing NATO’s landmark Protection of Civilians policy for a shifting global security landscape
September 23, 2021
Influenced by NATO’s Protection of Civilians Policy, Ukraine’s nascent PoC framework serves as a model for allies and partners
July 29, 2021
Analyzing the impact of future threats and technologies on urban environments shows that protecting civilians in cities will be a critical aspect of future conflict
June 10, 2021
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