Celebrity Media Editor's Note: During the United Nations Security Council's open debate on the protection of civilians in armed conflict, the Swiss Permanent Mission to the UN collaborated with the International Peace Institute (IPI) to co-host a public policy forum with the Permanent Missions of the Republic of Mozambique and the United Kingdom to the UN, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), and the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC). The forum, titled "Protecting Civilians and the UN Security Council: 25 Years of Challenges and Opportunities," was moderated by Adam Lupel, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the IPI, with closing remarks by Ambassador Pascale Christine Baeriswyl of the Swiss Permanent Mission to the UN.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the UN Security Council's first acknowledgment of the protection of civilians (POC) as a core issue of international peace and security. Since then, the POC agenda has been institutionalized across the broader UN system, becoming a central topic and prioritized in authorized peacekeeping missions. Yet, significant challenges remain globally, particularly due to some UN member states' blatant violations of international humanitarian law (IHL) and international human rights law (IHRL). This event aimed to assess the Security Council's interaction with civilian protection over the past 25 years and explore how to further strengthen international norms for civilian protection in the current political and security challenge environment. Additionally, this dialogue served as part of the international community's preparation to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, providing a timely opportunity to reflect deeply on the fundamental principles of IHL/IHRL supporting the civilian protection agenda.

 

 

Despite these advancements, the POC still faces significant challenges, particularly due to some UN member states' blatant violations of IHL and IHRL. These violations not only have devastating consequences for civilians in conflict zones but also erode the normative framework underpinning the international system, leading to questions about the UN Security Council's role in upholding these norms.

The forum coincided with the international community's preparations to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, offering a chance to reflect and strengthen the fundamental principles of international law supporting the POC agenda. The event provided a platform for high-level dialogue with distinguished experts, giving participants a deeper understanding and discussion forum. This symposium was not only a review of the past 25 years of civilian protection achievements but also a contemplation of future challenges, aiming to inspire the international community to take more robust actions to protect those most vulnerable in conflicts.

Featured guest speakers included:

• Naz K. Modirzadeh, founding Director of the Program on International Law and Armed Conflict at Harvard Law School and a Practice Professor
• Laetitia Courtois, Permanent Observer and Head of Delegation for the International Committee of the Red Cross
• Hichem Khadhraoui, Executive Director of the Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC)
• Edem Wosornu, Director of Operations and Advocacy for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA)