Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

Aid workers are increasingly being targeted by armed actors who seek to intimidate, coerce, or disrupt aid operations for strategic gains. In Gaza and South Sudan, in Yemen and the Central African Republic, disinformation campaigns are fueling hostility toward aid agencies. These threats not only endanger the lives of those dedicated to humanitarian action but also severely hinder access to essential aid for millions of vulnerable people in conflict-affected areas​.

The brutal hostilities we are seeing in multiple conflicts around the world have exposed a terrible truth: We are living in an era of impunity. Attacks that kill or injure civilians, including humanitarian and health-care personnel, are devastatingly common. Yet despite widespread condemnation, serious violations of the rules of war too often go unpunished.

The Practical Measures give guidance on policy, operational practice, and relations with partners and allies before, during, and after operations to avoid contributing to food insecurity.

Protection risks that civilian populations face in conflict zones—such as rape, child recruitment, deliberate deprivation of basic necessities, and denial of humanitarian access—usually stem from…

In the Asia-Pacific, the prospect of great power competition—and potential conflict—looms large, threatening to reshape not only geopolitical dynamics but also humanitarian considerations. Against this…

The long-anticipated Department of Defense Instruction (DoDI) on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response (CHMR), mandated by Congress in the…

Over the past 16 months, incidents of high-profile civilian harm, such as those in Kabul, Afghanistan and Baghuz, Syria, have called into question…

Significant strides were made last week in how the U.S. Department of Defense prevents and mitigates civilian harm. On August 25, the Department of Defense…