Every day, 100 civilians are killed in conflict and countless more are harmed, often without recognition, recourse, or justice. Yet their perspectives are repeatedly missing from the stories we tell about war and the way we think about war’s costs. The Civilian Protection Podcast, brought to you by CIVIC and PAX, shares the voices of people affected by war, the dangers they face, the choices they make, and what can be done to better protect them — because we believe it’s time to put them at the center of the discussion.

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Episode #6: The Invasion of Ukraine
On February 24, 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. Since that day, thousands of civilians have been killed or injured and over ten million people have been internally displaced or fled Ukraine as refugees. In this episode, our CIVIC colleagues in Ukraine share their experiences living through the war, the dangers facing civilians, and what must be done to protect them.

Episode #5: Reverberating Effects: The Aftermath of Hawija
In June 2015, Dutch F-16s carried out an airstrike on an ISIS ammunition factory in the Iraqi town of Hawija, causing considerable harm beyond what was anticipated. In this episode, Mohammed Abdulkareem Khthar, Head of Programs at Iraqi NGO Al-Ghad, and Dutch journalist Judit Neurink explain the impact of the airstrike on the people in Hawija, both in the immediate aftermath of the strike and in the years that followed, and why they think it’s time for acknowledgement from the Dutch government.

Episode #4: Afghanistan: A Legacy of Harm
In August 2021, U.S. and international forces completed their withdrawal from Afghanistan after 20 years of war. In this episode, we sit down with Shaharzad Akbar, Chairperson for the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission, to explore the legacy of civilian harm left behind and what it means for Afghan civilians moving forward.

Episode #3: People-Centered Peacekeeping
A people-centered approach to UN Peacekeeping makes sense as a concept– listen and learn from the communities you are mandated to protect — but how is it actually implemented in practice? Speaking with experts from the Central African Republic, South Sudan, and United Nations Headquarters, this episode explores the need for applying a people-centered approach in peacekeeping contexts and the complexities of effectively implementing this approach.

Episode #2: In Search of Answers
In Somalia, a family sits down to eat. Before dinner is over, their lives have been irreversibly changed. A U.S. airstrike had hit their home. Unfortunately, this is not an unfamiliar scene for civilians living in conflict-affected areas. Speaking with experts from Somalia and Yemen, this episode explores what happens after harm, and the challenges civilians face trying to get answers, recognition, and amends.

Episode #1: More Than Numbers
In 2014, ISIS, also known as Daesh, seized the city of Mosul, Iraq, and a battle involving ISIS, American-led coalition forces, and national Iraqi forces ensued. It was then that Iraqi historian Omar Mohammed began to document cases of civilian harm on his anonymous blog, Mosul Eye, risking his life to ensure history would remember their names.

Bonus material: the full interview with Omar Mohammed (Mosul Eye)

Trailer: An introduction to the Civilian Protection Podcast
Hosts Annie Shiel, Senior Advisor for US Policy and Advocacy at CIVIC, and Marc Garlasco, Military Advisor at PAX, introduce the Civilian Protection Podcast. This podcast, brought to you by CIVIC and PAX, shares the voices of people affected by war, the dangers they face, the choices they make, and what can be done to better protect them — because we believe it’s time to put them at the center of the discussion.

Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) envisions a world in which no civilian is harmed in conflict. We support communities affected by conflict in their quest for protection and strengthen the resolve and capacity of armed actors to prevent and respond to civilian harm.

PAX works to protect civilians living in conflict. Our purpose is to reduce civilian harm, end armed violence and build sustainable peace around the world. To achieve this, we work closely with civil society and authorities at local and international levels to put civilian perspectives first.