PAX and its partners in conflict contexts and around the world work hard to centre civilian voices in discussions about security at all levels, from their own communities to the halls of international institutions. Our aims are to achieve more comprehensive protection of civilians and to reduce the harms caused by conflict, and we do so by:
- Generating unique insights about civilians’ security experiences and priorities, including from marginalised groups.
- Leveraging our access to influence norms and policy through targeted advocacy.
- Providing practical training and advice to those responsible for providing protection.
- Facilitating inclusive dialogue and supporting locally driven solutions to address causes of conflict and improve accountability.
- Engaging constructively and building networks among security actors, policymakers, traditional authorities, and civil society.
Listen to our podcast
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.
For whom
Today as much as a quarter of the world’s population lives in fragile or conflict-affected environments, and the immense scale of conflict has profound implications for civilians. Far too many people are the direct targets of violence or get caught in the crossfire, while many more are impacted by secondary effects of conflict, such as the loss of homes or livelihoods; decreased access to food, health care, or basic services; and/or psychological trauma.
Our stance
For PAX, the protection of civilians refers to a range of efforts both to defend people from conflict-related violence and to prevent, mitigate, or address the myriad negative effects of conflict on people and communities. In practice, protection can take many forms, from providing physical security to facilitating humanitarian access. Institutions like the UN and NATO also acknowledge that protection of civilians requires more than just the use of force: it further includes supporting dialogue and conflict resolution, facilitating access to basic needs, as well as establishing a protective environment through rule of law and security sector reform.
The goal of our Protection of Civilians programme is to achieve more proactive and inclusive protection, increased accountability, and reduced civilian harm for communities affected by conflict.
Our unique approach
We work simultaneously as an advocate, practitioner, and convenor. We also work uniquely at various levels, from the grassroots to the international, often connecting these in unique ways.
The Protection of Civilians programme includes a large toolbox of tailorable approaches, including rigorous research methodologies, inclusive dialogue processes, community engagement mechanisms, evidence-based advocacy, and expert training and advice. At the global level, our network involves policymakers, security actors, researchers, and activists with whom we work to identify and share critical lessons learned.
However, the focus of our work is always on contributing to meaningful change for conflict-affected communities. PAX works closely with civil society partners in conflict-affected contexts, recognizing that civilians affected by conflict are the best experts on their own security needs and priorities. PAX leverages our technical expertise, access to international institutions, and convening power to support our partners and local communities to advocate for change and hold authorities accountable.
After the strike
This report exposes the civilian harm effects of the 2015 Dutch airstrike on Hawija. It is the product of a joint research by Al-Ghad League for Woman and Child Care, PAX and the Intimacies of Remote Warfare (IRW) project at Utrecht University. It informs on the human impact of the airstrike, primarily through interviews with 119 victims, supplemented with visual material, interviews with 40 key informants, 4 focus group discussions, field trips and secondary literature.
On civilian harm
What negative effects of the use of force do civilians experience in conflict beyond the direct, physical impacts? And how can we reduce both immediate and long-term suffering in future missions? We address these and other questions in our book ‘On Civilian Harm.’
Building our peace
The documentary Building Our Peace details a people-to-people peace process in South Sudan in 2018 supported by PAX and led by local communities. Also known as the Wunlit peace process, it is often described as one of the most successful efforts to improve relations between the Dinka and Nuer communities in the region. It was subsequently followed up with a second peace process between Payinjiar County and Greater Yirol in 2024.
FAQ
PoC is a shared responsibility and involves diverse stakeholders. We believe that security and peace are best achieved through the constructive collaboration with and between security actors, political officials, traditional authorities, and civil society. This engagement should happen at the grassroots, national, regional, and international levels, but always remain connected to conflict-affected civilian populations.
Improving conditions for civilians affected by conflict requires effectively linking the supply and demand sides of security. This means that authorities responsible for providing protection possess the necessary norms, capacities, and systems to provide more responsive protection.
Also, that civilians of all kinds have the opportunity, capacity, and agency to hold those authorities accountable.
Understanding these terms means examining who gets protected and from what kinds of threats.
PAX and its partners believe that protection should be provided to all civilians without preference or prejudice, and in a way that is responsive to their needs and priorities. This requires an understanding that ‘civilians’ are not a monolith, and that factors like gender, age, livelihood, religion, or ethnicity, among others, can have significant effects on one’s vulnerability to violence. Inclusive protection takes these factors into account and ensures relevant and appropriate security for all.
Providing comprehensive security means acknowledging and responding to the full range of political, social, environmental, economic, and cultural conditions that contribute to either peace or conflict in any given community. This builds upon the concept of human security, which shifts the focus away from a focus on traditional state-centric security to a more people-centric understanding of threats and effects of conflict
We define civilian harm as all negative effects on civilian or community wellbeing caused by the use of force in hostilities. Effects can occur directly (e.g., death, physical or mental trauma, property damage) or indirectly (e.g., through the destruction of critical infrastructure, disruption of access to basic needs and services, loss of livelihoods).
Civilian harm mitigation refers to efforts by armed groups, militaries, and nations to prevent, reduce, and address the harm resulting from security operations. It involves identifying and minimising risks to civilians to the greatest extent possible, going beyond just legal compliance. PAX believes that CHM is a legal, moral, and military-strategic imperative that creates an environment in which civilians are protected from the effects of war to the greatest extent possible, while also improving operational outcomes by increasing a force’s legitimacy and its ability to protect civilians
Not all civilian harm is avoidable in situations of war. It is therefore incumbent upon parties to conflict to track and investigate instances of harm and react appropriately, both to address victims’ immediate needs and for reasons of public transparency and accountability. Civilian harm response refers to actions undertaken by security actors in reaction to civilian harm caused by their operations, regardless of lawfulness. This includes measures like providing acknowledgment, apology, monetary compensation, or other forms of amends. PAX believes that security actors bear responsibility for designing and delivering response options that are considered meaningful, effective, and relevant by conflict-affected populations.
Partners
