TITLE:
Protection of Civilians and Civilian Populations under IHL: A Critical Observation
AUTHORS:
Md. Anowarul Azad
KEYWORDS:
Conflict Management, Protection of Civilians, International Humanitarian Law (IHL)
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Social Sciences,
Vol.13 No.8,
August
14,
2025
ABSTRACT: The Protection of Civilians (PoC) is a critical dimension of modern conflict management but remains a complex and persistent challenge. PoC efforts often involve targeted protection strategies, particularly through peacekeeping operations mandated by the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). These operations typically prioritize certain civilian groups, leaving a significant portion of civilians in conflict zones without adequate protection. The normative and operational frameworks guiding PoC under International Humanitarian Law (IHL) are complemented by the roles of various actors, including non-governmental organizations (NGOs), host states, regional organizations, and troop-contributing countries. However, the rising number of civilian casualties in conflict-prone regions highlights the limitations of IHL in ensuring effective humanitarian assistance and civilian protection. This article critically examines these limitations and explores potential pathways for strengthening PoC mechanisms to better mitigate threats to civilians in contemporary armed conflicts. Despite IHL’s strong normative framework for PoC, its practical implementation is often undermined by political constraints, doctrinal ambiguities, and operational inefficiencies. This paper argues that bridging the implementation gap requires a multidimensional strategy, including legal reform, improved inter-agency coordination, integration of primary data, and enhanced accountability mechanisms. These efforts must be tailored to the complexities of modern conflict zones, particularly in Africa.