Promoting the Protection of Civilians in UN Peacekeeping Operations

CIVIC conducts research to identify gaps, best practices, and lessons learned in providing effective protection to civilians through UN peacekeeping. This includes UN peacekeeping operations’ efforts to protect civilians from other armed actors and to reduce harm that may result from a peacekeeping operation’s own presence, activities, and operations. Based on this research, CIVIC undertakes advocacy with national and international stakeholders to address these gaps and institutionalize best practices. CIVIC also provides technical assistance to peacekeeping operations and other stakeholders to support them in developing and implementing protection of civilians policies, practices, and tools. CIVIC focuses its work on peacekeeping operations in four countries, Central African Republic (CAR), Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), South Sudan, and Mali. In addition, CIVIC’s peacekeeping program undertakes research and advocacy at the UN Secretariat and with UN Member States to advance broader peacekeeping reforms that are essential to the protection of civilians in conflict.