Refugees International: Issues: Protection

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Protection

Concerns

Civilians, mostly women and children, now comprise 90 percent of all casualties in contemporary armed conflict. Displaced civilians are especially vulnerable to violence, while having little opportunity to access food, medical care, and education. In this context, the International Committee of the Red Cross defines protection as “all activities aimed at obtaining full respect for the rights of the individual in accordance with the letter and the spirit of the relevant bodies of law,” which include the Geneva Conventions, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, and the Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees.

Virtually every Refugees International assessment mission focuses on one or another aspect of protecting civilians. To enhance physical security in conflict situations, RI advocates for the deployment of UN peacekeeping and peace enforcement missions with strong forces and clear mandates. Sometimes international presence, even if unarmed, can provide protection to civilians. RI frequently locates vulnerable populations in the midst of conflicts and emergency situations and advocates for the rapid deployment of staff from the United Nations and non-governmental organizations to assess needs, develop programs, and move people to safety if necessary.

The way in which humanitarian assistance is provided is critical to enhancing protection. For example, water/sanitation teams can consult with women to identify appropriate locations and lighting for latrines; safe access by women to water or cooking fuels can reduce the risk of sexual exploitation; teachers can provide valuable information on ways to prevent underage military recruitment. RI analyzes humanitarian response with these concerns in mind and advocates for changes when we find gaps.

The failure to provide adequate protection to civilian populations in Darfur and Liberia, despite large-scale international involvement in both crises, has prompted a system-wide review of how United Nations agencies should provide protection. As of August 2005, the draft recommendation is that the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) should take the lead within the UN system in organizing a response to the protection needs of civilians. The UN Secretary General and the Emergency Relief Coordinator, in consultation with member agencies of the Inter-Agency Standing Committee, will make a decision on this matter by the end of the year.

Accomplishments

In recent years RI advocacy has resulted in the immediate protection (provision of safe shelter and food) to vulnerable populations of refugees from Darfur in Chad (May 2004) and refugees from the Ivory Coast in Liberia (January 2005). In camp settings RI has successfully advocated for the provision of firewood to reduce the incidence of gender-based violence in Kenyan camps for Somali and Sudanese refugees and the provision of sanitary supplies and educational materials for girls in Tanzanian camps for Congolese refugees.

RI is active in the Protection Working Group of InterAction, serving as co-chair, and editing its policy paper, “Making Protection a Priority: Integrating Protection and Humanitarian Assistance,” which has been used to raise awareness of protection issues among the operational member agencies of InterAction.

What You Can Do

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