Protection
IHL, or International Humanitarian Law, is a legal framework that governs armed conflicts, aiming to mitigate the suffering caused to civilians and combatants and to preserve human dignity during times of war. Also known as the laws of war or the laws of armed conflict, IHL sets out rules and principles that seek to limit the methods and means of warfare and protect those who are not or no longer participating in hostilities, including civilians, medical personnel, and prisoners of war. It encompasses both treaty-based law, such as the Geneva Conventions, and customary international law, which reflects established practices and accepted norms among nations. By promoting the distinction between civilians and combatants, prohibiting acts of unnecessary cruelty, and providing safeguards for the wounded, IHL plays a vital role in upholding humanitarian values in times of armed conflict.
Protection has a different meaning to different people/institutions. Protection in humanitarian action requires a strategic, comprehensive and collective approach. The Global Protection Cluster refers to the Centrality of Protection, a concept that responds to the increased vulnerability of people affected by crises.
The State is primarily responsible for protecting its civilians, which it does through structures like the police, military, local administration, justice systems, etc. These obligations extend to non-state armed actors and de-facto authorities.
When the State is unable or unwilling to fulfil these obligations, principled humanitarian action has a role to play in protecting people. Different organizations have a different mandate to focus on particularly vulnerable groups, such as children or refugees, and offer specific protection services, such as land registry or services for the survivors of sexual abuse.
Still, it is not just these organizations with a protection mandate which have responsibility. Per the IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action, protection must be central to humanitarian action and is the shared responsibility of all humanitarian actors. Several projects, such as SPHERE, reinforce the above.
M5A-VD1 POC IASC.mp4
Protection pyramid
Protection in peacekeeping
NATO Protection of Civilians
