Protective action: incorporating civilian protection into humanitarian response

1
Protective action incorporating civilian
protection into humanitarian response
2
The protection revolution

• A spectacular shift in international policy
• R2P emphasis of international responsibilities
• Human rights dynamism throughout the 1990s
• Legally oriented, diplomatic approach by
  humanitarian actors

3
The protection evolution A shift in focus

• A significant increase in the number of
  organisations undertaking protection
• Which has impacted how protection is approached
• New emphasis of responses of at-risk communities
  and international actors
• Focus on IDPs to detriment of more
  comprehensive approach

4
The protection evolution A shift in
understanding

• all activities aimed at obtaining full respect
  for the rights of the individual in accordance
  with the letter and spirit of the relevant bodies
  of law (i.e. human rights law, international
  humanitarian law and refugee law)

5
The protection evolution A shift in
understanding

• UNICEF freedom from violence, injury or abuse,
  neglect, maltreatment or exploitation
• Save the Children freedom from violence, injury
  or abuse, neglect, maltreatment or exploitation
• Oxfam safety from violence, coercion and
  deliberate deprivation
• MSF-H freedom from violence, abuse and
  deliberate neglect
• WFP safe and dignified programming

6
The role of non-specialist agencies field
findings

• Conceptual and practical confusion
• Lack of institutional direction
• Transferral of responsibility to protection
  officers
• Lack of capacity and training
• Heavy reliance on monitoring, reporting and
  advocacy

7
The role of non-specialist agencies field
findings

• Many successes despite the challenges
• Colombia capacity building and facilitating
  social cohesion
• Darfur civilian safety in camp management
• Darfur and Uganda protection analysis guiding
  humanitarian response

8
Key organisational issues

• Profile of the agency concerned
• Degree of fit with the agencys work
• Level of risk for the agency
• Capacity of the organisation to take on
  additional responsibilities
• Added value of the agency assuming an expanded
  role in protection

9
A core commitment to protection

• Outlining organisational policy on protection
• Training and support to staff
• Ensuring analysis takes account of risk as well
  as need
• Integrating protection into project cycle
• Establishing processes to respond to abuses
  witnessed in the field

10
Recommendations

• Coordination with protection specialists
• Investment in standards, tools and guidance
• Protection should activate its droit de regard
  over other clusters
• Donor support for capacity, training and
  implementation