Skip to main content
Navigation
My GCSP

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Discover
    • About Us
    • Our Activities
    • Leadership
    • Governance
    • Where We Work
  • Activities
    • Executive Courses
    • Topics
    • Customised Solutions
    • Diplomatic Dialogue
    • The Creative Spark
    • Research and Policy Advice
    • Virtual Learning Journeys for Impact
    • Global Scholarship Fund
  • Insights
    • Upcoming Events
    • Publications
    • Trending
    • Digital Hub
  • Global Community
    • Our Experts
    • Our Partners
    • Alumni
      • How Do I Join?
      • Communities
      • Courses and Events
      • Storytelling and News
    • Global Fellowships
      • Discover GFI
      • Fellowships

Main navigation

  • Discover
    • About Us
    • Our Activities
    • Leadership
    • Governance
    • Where We Work
  • Activities
    • Executive Courses
    • Topics
    • Customised Solutions
    • Diplomatic Dialogue
    • The Creative Spark
    • Research and Policy Advice
    • Virtual Learning Journeys for Impact
    • Global Scholarship Fund
  • Insights
    • Upcoming Events
    • Publications
    • Trending
    • Digital Hub
  • Global Community
    • Our Experts
    • Our Partners
    • Alumni
      • How Do I Join?
      • Communities
      • Courses and Events
      • Storytelling and News
    • Global Fellowships
      • Discover GFI
      • Fellowships
MyGCSP
Security and Law
Back to Digital Hub
20 October 2022
Duration: 1 hour 16 minutes
Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate
Next

Sixty Years after the Cuban Missile Crisis: Lessons for the 21st Century - A Geneva Security Debate

Duration: 1 hour 03 minutes
Prev

Impact of the War in Ukraine on Multilateralism and the World Order – A Geneva Security Debate

Duration: 1 hour 04 minutes

The war between Russia and Ukraine as well as other ongoing conflicts from the Lake Chad Basin to Yemen are causing massive suffering by civilians. Civilians are caught up in fighting, deliberately targeted, denied access to basic needs, and forced to flee. Their injuries and trauma oftentimes persist for a lifetime.

International efforts to protect civilians have much evolved over the last century, leading to well-established international rules and institutional policies to protect civilians. Examples are the 4th Geneva Convention of 1949 and the two 1977 Additional Protocols, the 2016 NATO Policy and the 2019 UN Policy on PoC, and the recently adopted U.S. DoD Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response Action Plan.

Yet, in light of the current suffering by civilians around the globe, the question arises whether current efforts to protect civilians are appropriate. Do the policies on the protection of civilians work? Is the protection to which states are obliged under international law enough? Or are even the terms “protection” and “civilians” not fit for purpose? How can we move from rhetoric about the need to protect children, women, and persons with disabilities to an operational framework? What are the most salient challenges to protecting civilians, and how can the protection of civilians be strengthened in the future?

This Geneva Security Debate discusses the normative framework and current challenges to the protection of civilians. It debates the concept based on insights from the new book on International Law and Policy on the Protection of Civilians (CUP, 2022) and critically reflects on how to reinvigorate the protection of those at risk in conflict. You can read the book here: https://www.gcsp.ch/publications/inte...

Event moderator:

  • Mr Tobias Vestner, Head of the Research and Policy Advice Department and Security and Law Programme, Geneva Centre for Security Policy.

Opening speakers:

  • Ambassador Thomas Greminger, Director of the Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Swiss Diplomat and Former Secretary-General of the OSCE.
  • Ms Oksana Kikot, Deputy Country Director for Ukraine, Center for Civilians in Conflict.

Panellists:

  • Ms Irene Fellin, Special Representative for Women, Peace and Security, NATO. Mr Ralph Mamiya, Advisor, Center for Excellence in Disaster Management and Humanitarian Assistance, U.S. Department of Defense. Dr Stuart Casey-Maslen, Extraordinary Professor at the University of Pretoria and Associate Fellow, Geneva Centre for Security Policy. Mr Christian Cardon de Lichtbuer, Chief Protection Officer, International Committee of the Red Cross.

Featuring

Related
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
14 March 2023
The Humanitarian Response – Marking the One-Year Anniversary of the War in Ukraine – A Geneva Security Debate
The Humanitarian Response – Marking the One-Year Anniversary of the War in Ukraine – A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
19 January 2023
Multilateralism and Countering Terrorism in Heavily Impacted States - A Geneva Security Debate
Multilateralism and Countering Terrorism in Heavily Impacted States - A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
16 December 2022
The Future of the Caliphate? - A Geneva Security Debate
The Future of the Caliphate? - A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
25 October 2022
Sixty Years after the Cuban Missile Crisis: Lessons for the 21st Century - A Geneva Security Debate
Sixty Years after the Cuban Missile Crisis: Lessons for the 21st Century - A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
12 September 2022
Impact of the War in Ukraine on Multilateralism and the World Order – A Geneva Security Debate
Impact of the War in Ukraine on Multilateralism and the World Order – A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
6 July 2022
The Art of Diplomacy – A Geneva Security Debate
The Art of Diplomacy – A Geneva Security Debate
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
10 June 2021
Online Press Briefing: The Biden-Putin Summit in Perspective
Online Press Briefing: The Biden-Putin Summit in Perspective
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
8 January 2021
Global Terrorism Index Launch 2020
Global Terrorism Index Launch 2020
Go to Video
<span>Reinvigorating the Protection of Civilians – A Geneva Security Debate</span>
2 December 2020
Webinar: A "New Normal" for the Planet?
Webinar: A "New Normal" for the Planet?
Go to Video
Quick view
LEARN & LEAD

LEARN & LEAD

Acquire the tools and skills needed to soar

DESIGN & BUILD

DESIGN & BUILD

Make your ideas reality

THINK & ACT

THINK & ACT

Tap into critical insights for inspiration

ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY

ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY

Connect and find support

Contact Details

Contact Us
Sign up for gcsp newsletter
Tel
+41 22 730 96 00
Opening
Times
Mon-Fri | 8:00 am - 5:00 pm

Geneva Centre for Security Policy, Maison de la paix,

Chemin Eugene-Rigot 2D, P.O. Box 1295, 1211 Geneva 1, Switzerland

Footer

  • Work with us
  • RENT OUR FACILITIES
  • Privacy Policy
  • FAQs
  • Terms and Conditions
  • How to find us