Protection of Civilians

  • This afternoon (20 August), the Council is set to adopt a presidential statement drafted by Poland, focusing on international humanitarian law. This is to mark the 70th anniversary of the adoption of the universally ratified four Geneva Conventions, which regulate...

  • In August, Polish Foreign Minister Jacek Czaputowicz is expected to preside over a briefing on “the promotion and strengthening of the rule of law in the maintenance of international peace and security: international humanitarian law”. The anticipated briefers are ICRC President Peter Maurer, the Under-Secretary-General for Legal Affairs, UN Legal Counsel Miguel de Serpa Soares, and Dr. Annyssa Bellal, senior research fellow and strategic adviser on international humanitarian law at the Geneva Academy of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights.

  • Last Thursday (20 June), the Security Council unanimously adopted resolution 2475 on the situation of persons with disabilities in armed conflict. In the end, the resolution—which was an initiative of Poland and the UK—had 68 cosponsors. It represents the first...

  • Tomorrow (24 June) Security Council members are expected to hold an Arria-formula meeting on: “Responding effectively to the needs of refugees, displaced persons and returnees: the role of the United Nations Security Council and its members.” The anticipated briefers are:...

  • Tomorrow morning (11 June), the Security Council is scheduled to hold a briefing on “missing persons in armed conflict” under the protection of civilians agenda item. The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Kuwait, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, will preside....

  • In June, Kuwait plans to hold a briefing on “missing persons in conflict” under the protection of civilians agenda item. This is a new subtopic for the Council. The briefing will be chaired by Kuwait’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sheikh Sabah Khaled Al-Hamad Al-Sabah. Also expected to brief is OCHA Under-Secretary-General Mark Lowcock and Peter Maurer, president of  the ICRC. Kuwait plans to circulate a concept note before the briefing. A resolution is a possible outcome.

  • Tomorrow (23 May), the Security Council will hold its annual open debate on the “Protection of civilians in armed conflict”. The open debate, which will be chaired by Indonesia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Retno Marsudi, is expected to be at...

  • May 2019

    Protection of Civilians

    Monthly Forecast

    In May, the Council is scheduled to receive the Secretary-General’s report on protection of civilians and hold its annual open debate on the topic. It seems that Indonesia, as Council president, is planning to focus the debate on community engagement as a means of enhancing the protection of civilians. Secretary-General António Guterres and representatives of the ICRC and civil society are expected to brief.

  • 8 April 2019

    UN High Commissioner for Refugees Briefing

    What's in Blue

    Tomorrow (9 April), UN High Commissioner for Refugees Filippo Grandi is expected to brief the Security Council. The briefing will take place under the agenda item “Briefing by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees”. Germany, the Council President for...

  • In April, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas is expected to preside over a briefing on strengthening respect for international humanitarian law. The anticipated briefers are International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) President Peter Maurer, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs Mark Lowcock, and Naz Modirzadeh, founding Director of the Harvard Law School Program on International Law and Armed Conflict.

  • Tomorrow morning (12 February) at 10 am in Conference Room 6 there will be an open Arria-formula meeting on the protection of children affected by armed conflict in contexts where humanitarian space is shrinking, with a specific focus on the...

  • Tomorrow morning (21 December), there will be an Arria-formula meeting at 11 a.m.in the ECOSOC chamber, open to all member states and to civil society, on “Protecting medical care in armed conflict – from policy to practice”.The meeting is organised...

  • On Monday afternoon (10 December), an Arria-formula meeting has been scheduled on “Raising the effectiveness of atrocity crimes prevention: role of the United Nations Security Council and its Members”. The meeting has been organised by Poland, in partnership with Belgium,...

  • At 3 pm on Monday afternoon (3 December), Poland, in partnership with Côte d’Ivoire, Germany, Kuwait and Peru, and with the cooperation of OHCHR, UNICEF, and the International Disability Alliance, is organising an Arria-formula meeting intended to focus the attention...

  • This afternoon (21 September), the Security Council is scheduled to adopt a presidential statement recognising the contribution of the updated Aide Memoire, a document designed to facilitate the Council’s consideration of issues pertaining to protection of civilians in armed conflict....