Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: A Cry for Help

The United Nations Security Council gathered on February 2, 2015, to discuss the critical issue of civilians in armed conflict. In the 15 years since the Security Council recognized the protection of civilians as a central mandate, the need for protection has dramatically increased, with 76 million people in need of assistance in 2014, a rise from 52 million. The brutalization of women and children continues to plague conflicts, with women and children making up the majority of displaced persons. The responsibility for protecting civilians rests with parties to the conflict, but the international community must also take steps to tackle impunity and address the root causes of these conflicts.

Key Takeaways:

• The Security Council has taken important steps to implement protection commitments, but the need for protection has increased dramatically, with 76 million people in need of assistance in 2014.
• Women and children make up the majority of displaced persons, and the brutalization of women continues to be a persistent feature of conflict.
• Parties to conflict must be pressed to comply with their legal obligations and ensure accountability for violations.
• The Council and the international community must take steps to tackle impunity and address the root causes of these conflicts.
• Collective capacity must be strengthened to find political solutions to conflicts at an early stage.
• Efforts on the ground must be more attuned to the specific threats civilians face, and early warning signs must be acted upon quickly and effectively.
• States and non-State parties to armed conflict must comply with their legal obligations, and the Council has a significant role to play in ensuring responsible action.
• Sexual violence during armed conflict is a violation of international humanitarian law and can be prevented and stopped with concerted effort.
• Women-led civil society groups must be protected, and gender-disaggregated data must be mandated for mission reporting.
• Clear, accessible, and confidential complaint mechanisms must be provided by protection focal points.

Statistics:

• 76 million people in need of assistance in 2014, a rise from 52 million.
• Women and children make up the majority of displaced persons.
• One woman is raped every minute in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
• Over 5,000 victims have resulted from the conflict in eastern Ukraine.

Sources:

• United Nations (February 2, 2015)
• AllAfrica Global Media (distributed by allAfrica.com)