Disinformation Harms Civilians in Conflict in More Ways Than You Thought

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…

TOOLKIT: Advancing Protection of Civilians in Conflict

The CIVIC Toolkit for Advancing the Protection of Civilians in Conflict, distills over two decades of practical experience, sources in international law, and common recommendations on best practices into one simplified resource.   This toolkit is for civil society actors – international and local – and governments seeking to achieve a high global standard of…

Power Politics Obstructs Protection of Civilians in — and after — the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

By Beatrice Godefroy and Julien Théron Even as people in Ukraine’s Donbas region continue to suffer amid the seven-year-long conflict between government forces and Russian-backed separatists, populations elsewhere in Eastern Europe find themselves also at the center of lingering tensions between conflicting regional powers. The “flash” hostilities that broke out between Armenia and Azerbaijan in…

What Does MINUSMA’s Revised Mandate Mean for the Protection of Civilians in Mali? Part 2: A More Detailed Approach to Mitigating Civilian Harm

Part 1 of our analysis discussed how MINUSMA’s new mandate affords greater priority to the protection of civilians. The piece also stressed that Member States must ensure the Mission has the necessary resources to achieve its expanded list of tasks. But prioritizing the protection of civilians (POC) and adding a second strategic priority are not the…