Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) works with those engaged in and affected by armed conflict to identify, develop, and implement practical solutions that prevent, mitigate, and respond to civilian harm.
By Federico Borello, CIVIC’s Executive Director Twenty years ago this month, on March 20, 2003, the United States launched its first airstrikes on Iraq. This marked the start of the US-led coalition’s invasion of Iraq and the long descent into the abyss for millions of Iraqis. This was also the start of our story. Center…
By Chris Brew & Lauren Spink The use of deception and disinformation in warfare is not new. Sun Tzu, a Chinese general and military strategist was already writing about the phenomenon in the 5th century BC. But disinformation—defined as the intentional dissemination of inaccurate or misleading information—no longer just travels by word-of-mouth or newspaper. Modern…
It is February 25, 2022, in Kyiv. I am sitting by the window of my apartment as I watch a convoy of military vehicles drive by. They are moving alongside the street where I used to jog. On my way to the metro station, I hear the loud sound of explosions. The incessant boom is…
Auteur: West Africa Network for Peacebuilding (WANEP) Les conséquences de l’insécurité au Sahel, plus particulièrement au Niger, affectent de façon dramatique la vie des populations civiles, y compris leur moyens de subsistance et leur accès aux services sociaux de base. La cohésion sociale du pays est mise en péril tandis que les besoins humanitaires et…
MINUSMA appreciates that its continuous efforts to enhance its CASEVAC procedures to improve the safety and security of its personnel have been acknowledged in this research. This includes an examination of best practices beyond our own experience and an ongoing review of current procedures. This includes recently requesting an evaluation of our processes from specialists…
By John Ramming Chappell and Ari Tolany Recent months have seen a flood of revelations concerning civilian harm resulting from U.S. military operations. The last U.S. airstrike of the war in Afghanistan, which killed ten civilians including an aid worker and seven children, was soon followed by news of U.S. operations in Syria targeting and endangering civilians. Reporting from The…
Within the project “Strengthening Civilian Protection in East of Ukraine”, implemented during 2020-2021 with the financial support of the German Federal Foreign Office, CIVIC helped foster civil-military dialogues and cooperation in communities located along the contact line in Donetsk and Luhansk oblasts. A comprehensive approach to civil-military dialogues creates a favorable environment for trust-building, where…
On June 27, 2020, General Oumarou Namata, commander of the G5 Sahel Joint Force, approved the establishment of the Civilian Casualties Identification, Tracking and Analysis Cell (CITAC or MISAD in French) within the force. The Joint Force launched the MISAD as part of its implementation of the Human Rights Compliance Framework (HRCF), which is being…
When establishing Community Protection Groups (CPGs) in conflict zones, CIVIC regularly emphasizes the importance of including women as members of the group to raise and address issues that specifically affect women.