Course Description: Protection of Civilians
Course Code: UNAANSW105
Duration: 1 hour
Prerequisite: UNAANSW010 – Introduction to UN Peace and Security
Target Audience
This course is designed for:
• Professionals interested in global affairs and international cooperation
• Corporate and organisational leaders seeking a better understanding of global governance
• Students studying international relations, politics, or global development
• Individuals seeking a practical understanding of how UN peacekeeping missions protect civilians in conflict settings
• People interested in the legal, operational and ethical dimensions of civilian protection
• Participants wanting to understand both the broader protection of civilians mandate and the special protection needs of children in armed conflict
Participants are expected to have completed UNAANSW010 – “Introduction to UN Peace and Security” before attending this course. That introductory course provides the broader foundation on the UN’s peace and security role, the evolution of peacekeeping, and the place of peacekeeping within the wider spectrum of peace and security activities, which will help participants better understand how civilian protection fits within the work of multidimensional peacekeeping missions.
Course Overview
The protection of civilians is one of the most important and demanding responsibilities in contemporary UN peacekeeping. In many mission settings, civilians face severe threats including killing, torture, forced displacement, sexual violence, arbitrary detention, abduction and forced recruitment. Protecting civilians therefore requires more than military presence alone. It depends on integrated action across all mission components, cooperation with partners, and a proactive understanding of threats, vulnerabilities and community needs.
This session introduces participants to the UN peacekeeping mandate on the protection of civilians, including its meaning, legal basis and practical application in mission settings. The course examines who is considered a civilian, the kinds of threats civilians face in armed conflict, the vulnerability factors that increase protection risks, and the legal and policy frameworks that guide mission responses. It also explores the guiding principles of civilian protection, the importance of mission-wide protection planning, and the specific roles played by military, police and civilian components, as well as external protection partners.
The course also addresses the special protection needs of children in situations of armed conflict. Participants will examine the concept of child protection, the six grave violations committed against children in conflict settings, the international legal framework for child protection, and the role of UN peacekeeping missions in monitoring, reporting, advocacy and prevention. The session highlights that child protection is a shared responsibility across mission components, while also recognising the specialist role of child protection personnel.
By the end of the session, participants will have a clearer understanding of how UN peacekeeping missions work to protect civilians and children in conflict settings, and why this work is central to the credibility, legitimacy and effectiveness of modern peace operations.
Learning Goals
By the end of the session, participants will be able to:
• Explain the protection of civilians mandate in UN peacekeeping
• Identify the main threats civilians face in situations of armed conflict
• Understand the key legal and policy frameworks that guide civilian protection
• Recognise the range of partners involved in civilian protection efforts
• Explain why children require special protection in armed conflict
• Identify the six grave violations committed against children in situations of armed conflict
• Understand the roles of different mission components in implementing protection responsibilities.
Key Topics Covered
• The definition and meaning of the protection of civilians mandate
• Who is considered a civilian in conflict settings
• Common threats to civilians in armed conflict
• Vulnerability factors affecting protection risks
• The legal framework for protection of civilians
• Protection partners, including host governments, UN agencies, humanitarian actors and civil society
• Guiding principles for the protection of civilians
• Mission planning, coordination and roles in civilian protection
• The role of individual peacekeepers in protecting civilians
• The definition of a child in UN policy and law
• Child protection in armed conflict
• The six grave violations against children
• International legal and policy frameworks for child protection
• The roles of child protection personnel, police, military and other mission components
Learning Outcomes
Participants will leave the session with:
• A stronger understanding of how the protection of civilians mandate operates in UN peacekeeping
• Greater awareness of the threats faced by civilians and the factors that increase vulnerability in conflict settings
• Insight into the mission-wide and partner-based approach required for effective civilian protection
• A clearer understanding of why child protection is a distinct and essential part of peacekeeping work
• A solid foundation for further study of protection mandates, child protection and civilian-centred peacekeeping practice