DECLASSIFIED

United Nations
Department of Peace Operations
Ref. 2023.05

Policy

The Protection of Civilians in

United Nations Peacekeeping

Approved by: Jean-Pierre Lacroix, USG DPO

Effective date: 1 May 2023

Contact: POC/PBPS/DPET/DPO ([email protected])

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 DPO POLICY ON
THE PROTECTION OF CIVILIANS IN UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING

Contents: A. Purpose and Rationale p.3

B. Scope p.3
C. Policy
C.1. Background p.4
C.2. Definitions and Guiding Principles p.5
C.3. Operational Concept p.9
C.4. Implementing the Mandate p.17
D. Performance and Accountability p.18
E. References p.20
F. Monitoring and Compliance p.22
G. Contact p.22
H. History p.22

ANNEX

A. Roles and Responsibilities

1. Senior Leaders p.24
2. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations p.24
3. Civilian Senior Mission Leadership p.25
4. Director/Chief of Mission Support p.26
5. Force Commander p.26
6. Police Commissioner p.27
7. POC Adviser p.29
8. Heads of Field Offices p.30
9. Political Affairs p.30
10. Human Rights p.30
11. Civil Affairs p.31
12. JMAC p.31
13. JOC p.32
14. Security Sector Reform p.32
15. Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration p.32
16. Justice and Corrections p.33
17. Mine Action p.33
18. Strategic Communications and Public Information p.33
19. Strategic Planning Unit p.34
20. Legal Adviser p.34
21. Child Protection Advisers p.34
22. Women’s Protection Advisers p.35
23. Gender Advisers p.35

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 A. PURPOSE AND RATIONALE

1. The purpose of this policy is to provide the conceptual framework, guiding principles, and
key considerations for the implementation of protection of civilians (POC) mandates by
United Nations (UN) peacekeeping operations and related support by the Department of
Peace Operations (DPO). Additional guidance materials, including the DPO Handbook on
Protection of Civilians in United Nations Peacekeeping (2020), provide further practical
guidance on the implementation of POC mandates, particularly in various specific contexts.

2. Applicable to UN peacekeeping operations with a Security Council mandate to protect

civilians, this policy promotes consistency in approach to the protection of civilians. At the
same time, it also recognizes the varied operational contexts faced by UN peacekeeping
operations and the requirement for flexibility to respond to changing environments and the
different resources available across the life cycle of a mission.

3. The policy aims to clarify and operationalize the protection of civilians as mandated by the
Security Council. As recognized by the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations of
the General Assembly, the protection of civilians by UN Peacekeeping Operations requires
a comprehensive and integrated approach. 1 For the purposes of this policy, a
comprehensive approach to the protection of civilians is one which takes into account and
addresses the range of factors that influence and underpin threats to civilians in both the
short- and long-term, including political, security and socio-economic factors, as well as
gender dynamics. Such an approach recognizes that the protection of civilians requires the
full range of capacities and capabilities available to the mission and other actors. An
integrated approach to the protection of civilians requires the effort of all mission
components - civilian, police and military – and, where relevant and appropriate,
coordination with other UN actors including the UN Country Team (UNCT), including in the
contexts of early transition planning. Integrated analysis and planning are critical to ensure
that the mission is able to implement a comprehensive approach to POC. POC Advisers 2
play a key role supporting the coordination among actors for the operationalization of the
POC mandate. Moreover, mission-specific POC strategies guide the mission’s approach to
POC, strengthening the comprehensive and integrated approach (see paragraph 75 for
further details on POC strategies).

4. This policy articulates the roles and expectations of the mission leadership and relevant
mission components so that POC can be fully integrated into mission planning and activities
(also see Annex A “Roles and Responsibilities”). It also stresses the requirement for both
institutional and individual accountability for the effective implementation of POC mandates.

B. SCOPE

5. Compliance with this policy, under the overall authority of the Head of Mission, is mandatory
for all UN personnel, civilian and uniformed, working in UN peacekeeping operations with a
mandate to protect civilians. Civilian personnel include all staff members, seconded civilian
personnel, United Nations Volunteers, civilian experts on mission, individual contractors,
and consultants. Uniformed personnel include all members of the police, military, and
corrections components, whether contracted or seconded.

1Report of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (A/75/19) (2021) para 129.
2
Senior POC Advisers can be supported by POC Officers. In missions without a Senior POC Adviser, many of these functions
will be carried out by a POC mission Focal Point. See paragraph X for further details on their roles.
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6. This policy also applies to personnel in DPO under the authority of the Under-Secretary-
General (USG) in their support to the protection of civilians by UN peacekeeping operations.

7. The POC mandate in UN peacekeeping often intersects with other mandated tasks –
including support to peace processes, promotion and protection of human rights, building
the rule of law and security, mandates on child protection and conflict-related sexual violence
(CRSV) and creating conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance. POC
is also fundamentally linked to the gender equality and women, peace and security, and
youth, peace and security agendas. Specific methodologies, tools, policies and guidance
have been developed to support the implementation of these mandates and related tasks,
and dedicated expert personnel are deployed to implement most of them. While this policy
applies specifically to the mandate to protect civilians, the implementation of mandated tasks
should be aligned and complementary, and respective experts within the mission must be
engaged to ensure coordinated responses.

C. POLICY

C.1 Background

8. The POC mandate in UN peacekeeping is grounded in international law, including

international humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law,
and reflects the desire of the Security Council to protect civilians from harm. Noting that
civilians continue to account for the vast majority of casualties in situations of armed conflict,
the Security Council has passed regular resolutions on the protection of civilians, children
and armed conflict (CAAC) and CRSV. These resolutions have contributed to firmly establish
the role of peacekeeping operations in protecting those most vulnerable in conflict-affected
situations and confirmed these protective functions as a priority objective of peacekeeping.

9. Security Council resolutions on the protection of civilians in armed conflict have stressed the
need to address the root causes of armed conflict, to enhance the protection of civilians on
a long-term basis. The most effective and sustainable way of protecting civilians is to ensure
stability, peace and security through inclusive political processes and sustainable solutions
to conflict and to support host states to fulfil their responsibility to protect civilians and
respect, protect and fulfil the human rights of individuals on their territory. Proactive
protection of civilians by peacekeeping operations can enable inclusive political processes
and facilitate equal and meaningful participation, including by women and youth, in decision-
making and peace and security processes. It can also mitigate harm to civilian populations
while those processes may be stalled.

10. The protection of civilians by UN peacekeeping operations takes place alongside broader
UN protection efforts, including the promotion and protection of human rights and
humanitarian protection, which seek to prevent, mitigate and stop threats to individuals’
human rights and fundamental freedoms, ensure that these rights are respected and
protected by duty bearers and ensure access to basic services and humanitarian assistance.

11. The protection of civilians constitutes a common objective shared by UN actors to protect
civilians from risks and threats to their physical integrity, including those arising from armed
conflict. As such, to ensure coherence in UN support, there needs to be strategic
coordination at both UN Headquarters and mission level on the protection aims of UN peace
and security, development, human rights and humanitarian actors operating in the same
area.

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 C.2 Definitions and Guiding Principles

a. Defining the protection of civilians mandate: main elements and key terms

12. In accordance with mission-specific Security Council resolutions, peacekeeping operations

with POC mandates are required to protect civilians under threat of physical violence, within
the limits of the capabilities of a peacekeeping operation and within its areas of deployment. 3
The mandates of individual missions may vary in language and include specific tasks and
approaches to POC that will guide the implementation of the mandate and the strategic
approach taken by the mission. These mandates do not, in any way, limit or detract from the
primary responsibility of the host state to protect civilians on its territory. However, missions
with a POC mandate are typically authorized under Chapter VII of the UN Charter to use all
necessary means to protect civilians under threat of physical violence, regardless of the
source of the threat. 4 The Security Council has specified that the mandate to protect civilians
applies.

13. With a view to ensuring an operational definition for UN peacekeeping that takes these
features into account, while focusing on key elements in line with the guiding principles for
implementing POC mandates (see paragraphs 22-36), the protection of civilians mandate in
UN peacekeeping is defined as: “without prejudice to the primary responsibility of the
host state, integrated and coordinated activities by all civilian and uniformed mission
components to prevent, deter or respond to threats of physical violence against
civilians within the mission’s capabilities and areas of deployment through the use of
all necessary means, up to and including deadly force”.

14. Peacekeeping operations are deployed and mandated to protect civilians in multiple
contexts. The following definitions and principles apply in determining the scope of the POC
mandate in all contexts:

15. Civilian: 5 For the purposes of this policy and the POC mandate in peacekeeping, everyone
is to be considered a civilian, except persons falling in one of the following categories:
• members of the armed forces;
• members of an organized armed group with continuous combat function; and
• civilians directly participating in hostilities, for such time as they do so.

In case of doubt whether a person is a civilian, that person shall be considered a civilian. 6

When international humanitarian law applies to UN forces, they must comply with it,
including the principles of distinction, proportionality and precaution. This obligation is
independent of the POC mandate.

16. Threats of physical violence against civilians: Such threats encompass all hostile acts or
situations that are likely to lead to death or serious bodily injury of civilians, including sexual
violence, regardless of the source of the threat. This includes, inter alia, threats posed by
non-state armed groups, extremist groups, self-defence groups, domestic and foreign state
defence and security forces and other state agents and state-sponsored armed actors, as
well as communities. It includes both direct and indiscriminate attacks, and attempts to kill,
torture, maim, rape or sexually abuse and exploit, forcibly displace, starve, pillage, abduct or
3
Note that some mandates may require protection of civilians under “imminent threat of physical violence”.
4
The Security Council has not always explicitly referenced Chapter VII of the UN Charter when authorizing all necessary means.
5
The following definition is for the purposes of the protection of civilians mandate in UN peacekeeping only and is without prejudice to
the definition of “civilian” under international humanitarian law.
6
ST/SGB/1999/13 Observance by United Nations forces of international humanitarian law. Guidance on whether international
humanitarian law applies to a specific peacekeeping operation will be developed on a case-by-case basis and as required by the Office
of Legal Affairs, in consultation with DPO and the relevant Mission.
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 arbitrarily detain, kidnap, disappear or traffic persons or recruit and use children. It also
includes harm associated with the presence of explosive ordnance including mines,
explosive remnants of war and improvised explosive devices. “Threat” includes both violence
against civilians that has materialised and is ongoing and violence that has the realistic
potential to occur. The threat need not be imminent unless the specific Security Council
mandate requires this.

17. Within capabilities: As directed by the Security Council, the protection of civilians must be
prioritized in decisions regarding the allocation, deployment and use of available mission
capacities and resources. 7 The POC mandate also recognizes that peacekeeping
operations have limited resources and capabilities and may therefore face situations where
they are unable to effectively prevent, stop, or even mitigate certain threats. When faced
with multiple concurrent threats to civilians, missions will prioritize those that have a greater
potential impact on the civilian population (including potential mass atrocities) or a greater
destabilising effect. They must therefore prioritize their resources and prevention and
response activities across the three tiers outlined below based on the nature of the threat,
the full range of civilian, police and military capabilities available to the mission and the
capacities of other protection actors, including the host state.

18. Within areas of deployment: ‘Areas of deployment’ includes the area of operational
responsibility of any particular unit (civilian or uniformed) of the mission, even though that
unit may not have established a physical presence in the location concerned. ‘Within areas of
deployment’ recognizes that peacekeeping operations typically have a limited physical
range. There may be regions where a mission has no presence or locations that it is unable
to reach. Nonetheless, missions must always prevent and respond, if possible, to threats of
physical violence against civilians where they have the capability to do so effectively,
including where this can be done through advocacy and political engagement activities that
may not require physical presence in the area at risk. Where a threat to civilians is within
range of a mission presence or base, the mission must intervene within its capabilities. At
the mission headquarters (Mission HQ) and Field Office/Sector levels, missions must be
prepared to redeploy resources within the mission area to prevent or respond to threats to
civilians as needed, with the support of DPO and DOS as required.

b. Guiding principles for implementing POC mandates

19. The POC mandate is guided by a set of legal and practical principles and is rooted in the
UN Charter and international law. The following principles apply to all missions implementing
POC mandates:

20. Grounded in international law: POC mandates are a manifestation of the international
community’s determination to prevent the most serious violations of international
humanitarian law, international human rights law and international refugee law and related
standards and must be implemented in both the letter and spirit of these legal frameworks.

21. A priority mandate: In mandated missions, POC must be prioritized in decisions regarding
the allocation and use of available capabilities and resources.

22. Primary responsibility of the host state: The host state always has the primary
responsibility to protect civilians on its territory. The mission’s POC mandate does not
replace, affect or limit this responsibility in any way. The mission will, as far as possible,
support the host state’s POC efforts but may act independently to protect civilians when the
host state is deemed unable or unwilling to do so, or where government forces themselves

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S/RES/1894 (2009).
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 pose a threat to civilians. When supporting host state security forces or other non-UN
security forces, peacekeeping operations must respect the UN human rights due diligence
policy on United Nations Support to non-United Nations security forces. 8

23. Consonant with the principles of peacekeeping: UN peacekeeping operations are

guided by three inter-related and mutually reinforcing principles: consent of the parties,
impartiality and non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. The
protection of civilians is fully consonant with these principles, including the authorization of
the use of force. As such, the principles of peacekeeping can never be an excuse for failure to
protect civilians.

24. Under effective leadership, command and control: Senior leaders in missions and in UN
Headquarters are ultimately accountable for the implementation of the POC mandate and
must set the strategic direction and ensure accountability for its effective delivery by all
mission components. For uniformed components, the Force Commander and Police
Commissioner are responsible for the application of the Rules of Engagement (ROEs) and
Directives on the Use of Force (DUFs), respectively, and contingent commanders must also
ensure all those under their command understand and comply with these as well as this
policy.

25. An active duty to protect: Activities to protect civilians must be planned, deliberate and
ongoing. All mission components must constantly work to prevent, pre-empt and respond to
threats to civilians, and not just react to attacks. This includes dialogue and engagement,
presence in areas under greatest threat, creating a credible deterrent posture and
supporting national POC capacities.

26. A whole-of-mission activity: Protecting civilians requires a comprehensive and integrated

approach that involves jointly planned and coordinated action by civilian and uniformed
mission components, grounded in structured and regular information-sharing, an integrated
analysis and a common understanding of the threat environment. A POC lens should be
applied across the mission's integrated analysis (e.g., early warning, threat assessments,
forecasting and predictive analysis, after action reviews, etc.) to inform planning and
decision-making. The different components should implement activities in an integrated,
complementary and sequenced manner to leverage comparative advantages and maximise
effects on the ground. As it is a priority mandate, all components must integrate and prioritize
POC activities in their workplans, activities, training, and monitoring and evaluation.
Additionally, the mission’s POC Adviser should be systematically included in the mission's
integrated information-sharing, planning and analysis mechanisms and fora.

27. A coordinated approach: Due to the multitude of actors who contribute to protection of
civilians both within and outside of the mission, peacekeeping operations must take into
account the comparative advantage, optimal positioning and appropriate modes of
engagement vis-à-vis local, national, regional and international protection actors, and
systematically share information with such actors as appropriate. This requires multiple actors
coordinating and carrying out distinct activities simultaneously.

28. In cooperation with humanitarian and development actors and in respect of

humanitarian principles: UN humanitarian and development agencies and NGOs
undertake a broad range of activities to protect civilians.9 In addition, like all civilians,
humanitarian personnel are entitled to protection under the POC mandate. Close and

8
Human Rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces (A/67/775-S/2013/110).
9
Humanitarian actors define 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”; see IASC Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action (2016).
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 systematic coordination and information-sharing with these actors through established
mechanisms, including the relevant UN Humanitarian Civil-Military Coordination platforms,
and UN integrated coordination mechanisms, 10 is therefore essential and will remain pivotal
for transition planning. Humanitarian actors rely upon the principles of humanity, neutrality,
impartiality and operational independence (the humanitarian principles) to discharge their
mandates effectively and safely and it is therefore necessary to maintain a clear distinction
between their role and that of political and military actors, including peacekeeping
operations. While the creation of security conditions conducive to the delivery of
humanitarian assistance can support the protection of civilians, this objective, often a
separately mandated task of peacekeeping operations, goes beyond the scope of the
present policy.

29. A tailored, community-based approach: Actions, plans and programmes to protect

civilians must always be informed by consultation with local communities. This takes place
through regular, meaningful, safe and respectful engagement with women, men, girls and
boys, with a view to understanding and taking into account their concerns, strategies and
capacities; empowering local actors and organizations; and supporting existing protection
mechanisms in order to contribute to a sustainable impact. Analysis and planning for POC
must consider the protection needs and threats faced by different groups of civilians
including, but not limited to, women, men, children, older persons, youth, people with
disabilities, ethnic, religious and minority groups, as well as displaced populations.
Community engagement needs to happen at every stage of the implementation cycle.
Special consideration should be given to the end of protection initiatives and how these can
be transitioned to the community or other third parties. Community Liaison Assistants (CLAs)
can support uniformed and civilian personnel in their interactions with communities, local
authorities and other local actors. They can assist with information gathering, threat or needs
assessments, conflict mediation, early warning, local-level protection planning, coordination
of and follow up on field visits and patrols/operations and strengthening the resilience of
local communities.

30. Gender-responsive POC: All strategies, actions, plans and programmes related to the
implementation of the POC mandate must be gender-responsive. This requires
appreciating that there are gendered differences in status and power and that this informs
and shapes the immediate and long-term protection needs of women and men, girls and
boys. Gender-responsive POC takes account of these differences by adjusting POC efforts
in ways that appropriately respond to or eliminate a threat or mitigate the risk to civilians.
This approach utilizes a gender analysis, 11 including a gender-responsive conflict analysis,
to inform all POC efforts and should be integrated across the three tiers of the mission’s
POC initiative. A gender analysis facilitates the identification of specific roles
and capabilities (including women’s and girls’ varied roles in peace and conflict), risks and
vulnerabilities of all community members as well as the appropriate POC intervention.
Gender-responsive POC is inclusive of and supports the women, peace, and security
mandate (WPS) priorities such as increasing meaningful engagement of
women and women’s organizations, at all levels of conflict prevention, management and
resolution efforts.

31. Undertaken with mainstreamed child protection concerns: The specific protection
needs of children (boys and girls) must be considered and responded to when implementing
the POC mandate, including by mainstreaming child protection considerations into joint

10
As required by the UN Policy on Integrated Assessment and Planning (2023).
11
Gender analysis is an analytical framework that assess the impact of policies or actions on women, men, boys, girls, and non-binary
people by investigating the unequal social, political and economic power dynamics that exist within society. It includes power variables
(e.g., age, (dis)ability, etc.) and recognizes the cumulative and reinforcing effects brought to bear by these different systems of power.
8
 analysis (threat assessments, early warning), information-sharing, joint planning and
community engagement.12

32. Do no harm: All mission components must be mindful in their activities and engagement
with individuals and communities not to expose civilians to risk or to cause harm, including by
exposing civilians to possible reprisals for cooperation with the mission. Confidentiality must
be respected for any information that could be used to identify sources. In addition, cases
of human rights violations and abuses can be reported, referred or pursued only if the
sources of information grant their informed consent and upon assessment that the
disclosure of information would not pose a protection risk for the victims, witnesses or other
individuals. When conducting police and military operations, all efforts must be taken to
mitigate harm to civilians. Sexual exploitation and abuse is strictly prohibited and must be
addressed in accordance with relevant procedures.13 Zero tolerance for sexual exploitation
and abuse is a requirement for the effective protection of civilians.

33. Enabled by technology and informed by data: New technologies can help peacekeepers
anticipate, prevent and respond to threats to civilians, as well as to better engage local
populations. POC should be at the centre of decisions related to the deployment and tasking
of assets, and in the acquisition, analysis and sharing of derived information. New enabling
technologies can support missions’ POC efforts and help build collective mission capacity
for data-driven, evidence-based analysis, planning and decision-making.

C.3 Operational Concept

34. Peacekeeping operations mandated to protect civilians have a range of instruments and
approaches at their disposal. These are categorized in three tiers which are mutually
accommodating and reinforcing and are implemented simultaneously and strategically in
accordance with the mission mandate, mission phase and the circumstances on the ground.
There is no inherent hierarchy or sequencing between the tiers. The protection of civilians’
mandate is implemented at all levels of the missions and all components of the mission have
a role to play in each of the tiers. Action across all three tiers will emphasize prevention and
pre-emption as well as the primary responsibility of the host state to protect civilians. The
three tiers of POC action are:
• Tier I: Protection through dialogue and engagement
• Tier II: Provision of physical protection
• Tier III: Establishment of a protective environment

35. Across all three tiers, UN peacekeepers utilize both armed and unarmed approaches to
protect civilians. Unarmed Approaches to Protection (UAP) include the full range of
protection activities undertaken by civilian and uniformed personnel that do not involve the
projection of military power, or the threat or use of force. 14 UAP should be carried out as
part of a larger comprehensive and integrated approach that includes high level political
engagement and the threat or use of force by uniformed peacekeepers.

36. The protection of civilians requires actions with both short- and long-term outlooks, based on
an analysis of the environment, the phase of the conflict, if any, and the mission’s life cycle,
as well as the nature of the threat. The strategic approach to POC, and the three tiers, are
therefore implemented along four phases:

12
DPKO/DFS/DPA Policy on Child Protection in United Nations Peace Operations (2017.11), in particular, paragraphs 10 and 19.4.
13
ST/SGB/2003/13 Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual abuse.
14
These can include conflict resolution activities at national and local level; human rights monitoring, investigations, reporting and
capacity building; engagement with armed actors to persuade them to cease or at least mitigate harm to civilians; protection through
unarmed presence to deter violence against civilians; capacity building of protection actors, including state security forces and civil
society; as well as other related activities.
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 (i) prevention: where no clear threat to civilians has been identified (longer term),
(ii) pre-emption: where likely threats are identified and attacks against civilians are
anticipated (short term),
(iii) response: where threats to civilians are imminent or occurring (short term), and
(iv) consolidation: where violence against civilians is subsiding (longer term).

37. The phases do not necessarily occur in sequential order and approaches relevant to
different phases may be undertaken simultaneously or independently. Activities and
objectives under each phase will vary along with the specific content of each country-
specific mandate. Within one mission, different approaches may be necessary in different
geographical areas depending on the situation on the ground. Actions across all three tiers
may be taken within each operational phase.

a. Tier I: Protection through Dialogue and Engagement

38. Tier I activities include active, structured and regular dialogue with perpetrators or potential
perpetrators of violence against civilians; conflict resolution and mediation between parties to
the conflict; advocating with the host government, its security institutions and other relevant
actors to intervene to protect civilians; local conflict resolution and social cohesion activities;
reconciliation initiatives; strategic communication; investigation; advocacy; reporting on
human rights and other protection concerns; and other initiatives that seek to protect civilians
through communications, dialogue and direct or indirect engagement.

39. Tier I reinforces the primacy of politics in the resolution of conflict and the role of
peacekeeping in the pursuit of sustainable solutions. The Mission’s overall political
strategy should contribute to the POC mandate and POC considerations should underpin
the Mission’s political efforts. Dialogue and political engagement with political, security or
other actors or spoilers who may instigate or have influence over potential perpetrators of
violence shall be utilized to prevent and mitigate threats to civilians, including through calls
for compliance with international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Good
offices, political engagement, advocacy and dialogue should immediately be used to prevent
threats of attacks on civilians before they become imminent, or to end them once they occur.
Prevention through regular dialogue and engagement is the most effective way to reduce
the need for reliance on physical protection by the mission.

40. To advance the protection of civilians, the mission should advocate for the systematic
integration of human rights and other specific protection-related concerns, including those
related to gender and children, into peace processes and peace agreements. All relevant
mission components must engage host state interlocutors on their responsibility to protect
civilians and protect, promote and respect international humanitarian law (where relevant)
and international human rights law and to hold alleged perpetrators accountable. At UN
Headquarters, the Secretariat will support the mission by engaging international actors
including UN entities, the Security Council, Member States, regional and subregional
organizations and others who may positively influence those involved in the conflict to
ensure the protection of civilians.

41. Dialogue and engagement are carried out by all mission components, civilian and uniformed,
at the local and national levels. It can include engagement with communities, including
women’s organizations and networks, and potential perpetrators, including non-state armed
actors.

42. Local engagement may allow for early detection of threats or tensions that can inform
mission early warning systems and prevention actions. Engagement with communities
should be an inclusive, two-way exercise that begins with listening to communities about
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 their protection needs and capacities. It should identify, support and bolster existing
structures and mechanisms to resolve and respond to conflict and be inclusive of the
protection needs of all community members.15 Where appropriate, it should also reinforce
trust by building relations between authorities and the population and preventing security
vacuums. Engagement strategies should consider potential risk or harm that engagement
may pose to individuals and communities and how to address them.

43. The mission can support inclusive dialogue and mediation efforts, including community-
based mechanisms, such as informal justice mechanisms, which aim to peacefully settle
disputes that may otherwise trigger intercommunal conflicts. In situations where other actors
may be better placed to provide support or where the mission does not have access or if its
presence may put civilians at risk, it can support third party organizations. Missions should
identify links between local, national and regional level conflicts and threats to civilians and
seek to address the threats at multiple levels, while aiming to address root causes of conflict.

44. The mission should engage with the host state security sector on the protection of
civilians. The mission’s aim should be to assess risks stemming from institutional and
governance weaknesses within the security sector and seek to develop and support the
implementation of security agreements, policies and mechanisms, including at the local
level, aiming at fulfilling the state’s primary responsibility to protect civilians. The mission
should, as appropriate, advocate for the deployment by host state authorities of national
security forces to locations where their absence results in increasing threats to vulnerable
groups.

45. Appropriate approaches to engagement with non-state armed actors (NSAGs) on the
protection of civilians, including the role of different mission components, will be decided at
mission level with guidance from DPO on request. 16 When engaging with non-state armed
groups on POC, the mission’s aim should be to prevent or stop attacks on civilians, change
a group’s behaviour so that they no longer threaten civilians, seek a group’s meaningful
commitments to desist from attacks on civilians, and improve understanding and respect for
international humanitarian law and international human rights law, as well as to diffuse
tensions, identify grievances and build confidence between parties to the conflict.

46. Monitoring and reporting on protection concerns, which creates a transparent and
objective basis for dialogue with all parties to the conflict, should be used to positively
influence the actions and behaviours of state authorities and non-state armed groups or to
engage other influential actors. This includes human rights monitoring, reporting and
investigation, including public reporting and advocacy at national and local levels, which
should incorporate a gender analysis. Human rights monitoring and reporting enables the
identification of protection threats and needs that inform mission POC strategies and
activities, and also forms the basis for accountability. Similarly, the monitoring, analysis and
reporting arrangements on conflict-related sexual violence (MARA) and the monitoring and
reporting mechanism on grave violations against children in situations of armed conflict
(MRM) can contribute to influencing actors on protection concerns. Collection of sex- and
age-disaggregated data is crucial to effective monitoring and reporting and therefore should
be prioritized whenever possible.
47. The mandatory application of the United Nations human rights due diligence policy on
United Nations support to non-United Nations security forces may also be used as
leverage to strengthen compliance with international humanitarian law, international human

15
Including women, men, children, older persons, youth, people with disabilities, ethnic, religious and minority groups, as well as
displaced populations and other marginalized communities.
16
The DPA/PMD and DPKO/DPET aide mémoire on Engaging with Non-State Armed Groups for political purposes (2017) sets out
some of the options and considerations that missions should take into account when designing a strategy to engage with NSAGs.
11
 rights law and international refugee law by non-UN security forces, including police, military
and other security actors. All UN support to non-UN security forces, including in the context
of fulfilling the protection of civilians’ mandate, must be implemented in compliance with the
HRDDP. Mitigating measures under the HRDDP, such as background checks of individuals
and units, strategic and policy advice on security sector reform, capacity building of host
state security forces, joint planning of operations and after-action reviews, have a direct
impact on the implementation of the protection of civilians’ mandate.
48. Public information activities and strategic communications will be used to prevent or
stop attacks on civilians by influencing behaviour, contributing to shape perceptions and
control narratives, and responding to issues such as hate speech, misinformation and
disinformation, which may lead to threats to civilians. Public information can be used to
encourage respect for international humanitarian law, international human rights law and
international refugee law, strengthen support to peace and reconciliation initiatives, promote
gender equality, and provide a reliable and impartial source of information. The mission’s
communication strategy must include concrete objectives and activities on POC using
contextually appropriate media and languages to target specific actors, including potential
perpetrators and communities at risk. Information shall be provided equally to women and
men, girls and boys. The mission must engage with the media on the POC mandate and
communications must also be used to manage expectations about the role and capacities
of the mission.

C. Tier II: Provision of Physical Protection

49. Tier II encompasses activities by all mission components to physically protect civilians,
whether through armed or unarmed approaches, including protective presence,
interpositioning, the threat or use of force, or facilitating safe passage or refuge. While Tier
II notably includes activities by uniformed components involving the show or use of force to
prevent, deter, pre-empt and respond to threats to civilians, civilian mission components can
also act as a protective presence through their regular, visible, direct engagement with
civilian populations at risk. All actions under Tier II should be informed by an integrated
analysis, including gender analysis, and implemented as part of a comprehensive and
integrated approach, with close coordination between civilian and uniformed components,
to jointly determine priority areas for deployment, presence and actions; to guide the
objectives and conduct of police and military operations; to inform operational and
contingency planning; and to undertake complementary activities such as political and
community dialogue and engagement.
50. To prevent and deter threats to civilians, uniformed mission components must have a
proactive posture and mindset. Even when a threat is not identified, the mission should
have a visible presence, particularly in high-risk areas and those where state security forces
are not present, as an important deterrent and confidence-building measure. This presence
should be accompanied by assurances to the population of the mission’s intent to protect
civilians from physical violence and the establishment of community engagement and alert
mechanisms in coordination with civilian components, particularly CLAs where they are
deployed. The protection of civilians must be prioritized in decisions on location, posture,
length and type of deployment and patrolling and must be systematically included in
operational orders. Joint threat assessments and effective and timely information-sharing,
early warning and coordination among civilian and uniformed components at senior and
working levels, as well as consultation with other relevant protection actors, will facilitate
preventive actions and effective responses.
51. When a concrete threat of an attack against civilians is identified, proactive and timely
measures must be taken to eliminate or mitigate the threat before violence occurs, including

12
 through credible deterrent actions such as reinforced presence and patrolling, show of
force, securing key sites, interpositioning, psychological operations and proactive military
and police operations, which may extend to pre-empting and neutralising the source of the
threat in accordance with the mandate, rules of engagement (ROE), and directives on use
of force (DUF). Contingency plans shall be developed in advance to enable rapid response.

52. When physical violence against civilians is either imminent or in progress, the mission
has a responsibility to act to the full extent of its capabilities by deploying rapidly to secure
the civilian population, including through the dispatch of quick reaction forces.
Peacekeepers must be ready at all times to act swiftly and decisively, in accordance with
their ROE or DUF, with the full degree of force needed to protect civilians. While doing so,
efforts should be taken to avoid or minimize casualties. While every reasonable effort must
be made to resolve the situation by other means, there will be circumstances where the use
of force is the most effective and adequate course of action at an early stage. Where armed
force is used, it must be limited in its intensity and duration to ensure that civilians are
protected and civilian casualties avoided or at least minimized. In accordance with the
mission’s ROE and DUF and consistent with DPKO/DFS Guidelines on the Use of Force by
Military Components in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations 17 and the DPKO/DFS
Policy on Formed Police Units in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations 18, the use of force
should be graduated, unless this would place the civilians to be protected or mission
personnel themselves at risk of death or serious bodily injury, or clearly be ineffective in the
circumstances. In this context, the level of force used by the mission may be higher than the
level of the force threatened or used by the attacker, if necessary to achieve the authorized
objective.

53. Security activities and operations to deter, prevent or stop attacks on civilians may be
conducted either jointly or in coordination with the host state security forces (or other third-
party forces, if the mandate permits) or unilaterally, as appropriate. In cases where
operations are conducted jointly, all activities must be in conformity with the HRDDP.

54. When carrying out any police and/or military operations UN peacekeeping operations must
take steps to protect civilians and mitigate potential harm to civilians that could arise from
those operations, before, during or after. As a starting point, mission ROE and DUF contain
a number of important restrictions on the use of force, for example collateral damage must
be avoided or in any case minimized, fire must be limited in duration and intensity to that
necessary to achieve the authorised objective and unobserved indirect fire is prohibited.
Beyond the minimum obligations of international humanitarian law (where applicable),
peacekeeping operations shall anticipate, prevent, track, minimize and address direct and
indirect harm to the safety and security of civilians or civilian objects and infrastructure.

55. Efforts to mitigate harm to civilians shall inform operational planning and the conduct of
operations and shall be taken before, during and after the implementation of operations.
Before an operation, a full risk assessment must be conducted and contingency plans for
the protection of civilians developed in systematic consultation with the POC Adviser and
relevant civilian components and, where appropriate, host state authorities and UN and non-
UN humanitarian actors. This exercise will identify and analyse direct and indirect negative
consequences, including civilian displacement, impact on livelihoods, health and education,
possible reprisals against the civilian population and resulting explosive remnants of war.
Mitigation measures to address these consequences shall be identified and included in

17
DPKO/DFS Guidelines on the Use of Force by Military Components in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations
(2016.24).
18
DPKO/DFS Policy on Formed Police Units in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations (2016.10).
13
 operational plans, contingency plans and other orders. This exercise should be informed by
a gender analysis in order to address, integrate and account for the differentiated impacts
of operations on different groups of the population. Operations should be followed by an
after-action review that analyses the impact of the operations, including community
perceptions, and identifies lessons learned for future operations.

56. Under the POC mandate, UN peacekeeping operations are mandated to protect civilians
regardless of the source of the threat, including where that threat is from elements of host
state security forces or their proxies. This includes the provision of physical protection by
military and/or police components. However, it is recognized that a robust response to
threats posed by the host state may be beyond the mission’s capabilities, may result in
insecurity for peacekeepers and can affect the host state’s strategic consent to the mission.
For an effective and sustainable restoration of security for civilians, from the early stages of
deployment, missions must prioritize activities aimed at enhancing and supporting the intent,
capacity and accountability of the host state to respect international humanitarian law (where
relevant) and international human rights law and to fulfil its responsibility to protect civilians
(activities under Tiers I and III of the POC concept).

57. Responses to specific threats to civilians posed by elements of host state security forces
should normally include political engagement, early and at the highest levels, with the
political, security and justice sectors, including by sharing information and analysis on the
perpetrators and violations of international humanitarian law and international human rights
law monitored by the mission. However, where such engagement is fruitless, clearly
ineffective or simply not an option in the time available, the mission must be prepared to
intervene physically to protect civilians at risk. The rapid deployment and presence of
mission forces may be sufficient to deter or stop host state security forces from harming
civilians. In other cases, effective interposition of mission forces between civilians at risk and
host state security forces may be necessary, combined with demonstration of resolve and
determination to maintain position. In situations where host state authorities continue to
refuse to recognize and address violations of international humanitarian law or international
human rights law or oppose the mission’s efforts to protect civilians, DPO will provide
guidance on request to the mission and will support advocacy efforts, including by engaging
with the Security Council.

58. In cases of credible threats of physical violence against individual mission interlocutors
(including, inter alia, human rights defenders, victims and witnesses of human rights
violations, community workers, journalists, lawyers or other civil society representatives) or
notable personalities or figures, missions may consider instituting specific measures to
protect individuals. Such measures may include, for example, measures to prevent and
address intimidation and reprisals for cooperation with the mission, advice and guidance on
self-protection measures, documentation and reporting of cases and, in certain cases, the
static deployment of armed units outside the individual’s residence or the regular patrolling
of its environs. Guidance on such measures must first be sought from UN Headquarters.

59. Conflict, violence and threats to civilians may cause displacement of the population,
which further increases vulnerability to protection threats, including harassment, child and
forced recruitment by armed groups, and sexual and gender-based violence. Vulnerable
groups, including women and children, are often more affected by such threats.
Peacekeeping missions should first seek to prevent displacement by addressing threats at
their origin. However, should prevention activities fail to prevent displacement, missions may
seek to ensure the protection of displaced populations during flight, in refugee or IDP camps
or settlements, upon return to their places of origin or relocation.

60. Civilians at risk may seek the direct physical protection of a peacekeeping mission by
14
 gathering outside or seeking entry to UN premises. In anticipation of such, all bases
(however temporary) of UN peacekeeping missions must have contingency plans in place to
provide physical protection in both scenarios in consultation with relevant partners including,
as appropriate, the host state, the UNCT and humanitarian actors. In order of priority,
physical protection should be provided:
(1) On non-UN premises, including in camps or settlements, or with host communities;
(2) In areas adjacent or close to existing mission premises identified for that purpose; or
(3) In extremis, including due to a lack of preparedness or where the mission has
insufficient police or military capacity to secure a site outside the mission compound,
within existing premises. A decision to provide physical protection within UN premises
must be taken by the Head of Mission, in consultation, if time permits, with the USG
DPO. This option shall be enabled for the minimum duration possible, normally for the
extent of the threat. 19

61. Civilians at risk may also request the assistance of the mission in facilitating their transfer,
evacuation or relocation to more secure areas. In consultation with the UNCT and
humanitarian actors, missions should assist the safe and dignified movement of civilians at
risk within available resources, through the provision of route and area security or conducting
escorts or extractions, where feasible. The physical relocation of civilians by the mission
should be limited to in extremis situations and consulted with UN Headquarters, time
permitting.

62. Each situation described above may pose risks to the civilians to be protected and/or UN
personnel. All such risks must be identified, and measures taken to eliminate or mitigate
them, including through advance planning, political engagement or the allocation of specific
mission resources.

63. Where displaced civilians reside in camps, sites or settlements, these should be protected
when at risk of attack. Maintaining the civilian and humanitarian character of such camps is
essential, and protection risks for their inhabitants, such as the risk of child and forced
recruitment, must be carefully addressed in accordance with humanitarian principles, in
coordination with humanitarian actors and national law enforcement agencies, as
appropriate. Where feasible, the mission should contribute to creating the conditions for
interim and durable solutions, which can be achieved through informed and voluntary
return, local integration, or settlement elsewhere in the country.

64. UN peacekeeping operations may be obliged to temporarily detain individuals in the course
of carrying out their protection of civilians’ mandates. Any such detention, in addition to
complying with relevant international human rights laws, must be in accordance with the
Standard Operating Procedure on the Handling of Detention in United Nations
Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions,20 including safeguards relating to
the detention of children, and relevant mission- specific policies or Standard Operating
Procedures (SOPs) where they exist.

65. UN Headquarters shall contribute to Tier II activities by supporting and engaging with Troop
and Police-Contributing Countries (T/PCCs) on the necessary capacities, resources,
training, capabilities and mindsets of deployed troops and police in line with the
Operational Readiness Assurance Framework. 21 Such efforts will include support to T/PCCs
for screening and training on international humanitarian law and international human rights

19
The decision to relocate IDPs shall lie with the mission leadership, acting in close consultation with the Humanitarian
Country Team (HCT). Relocations must be voluntary.
20
DPO/DPPA/DSS Standard Operating Procedure on the Handling of Detention in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations and
Special Political Missions (2020.13).
21
DPKO/DFS Policy on Operational Readiness Assurance and Performance Improvement (2015.16).
15
 law, the operational requirements of the POC mandate and, where required, other relevant
training. Headquarters shall also engage with Member States to ensure that there is political
support for the activities of the mission.

b. Tier III: Establishing a Protective Environment

66. Tier III activities are frequently programmatic in nature and designed with committed
resources for peacebuilding and conflict prevention/resolution objectives. Sometimes
presented as separate mandated tasks under country-specific resolutions, activities under
Tier III help create a protective environment for civilians, prevent the (re-)emergence of
threats of physical violence, support the legitimacy of the host state and its capacity to
protect civilians and support the (re-)establishment of the rule of law and criminal justice
chain.

67. While Tier III activities can be undertaken at any time, they are particularly relevant in areas
where conflict may be prevented, has subsided or when most imminent threats to civilians
have decreased but protection gains need to be consolidated and future outbreaks of violence
prevented. Tier III activities should therefore be prioritized as soon as conflict has subsided
in a given area and conditions are conducive. They should also be undertaken with a view
to ensure that adequate national and international capacities are present during and
following the transition of peacekeeping missions, recognising that reconfigurations of UN
presences may entail increased risks for civilians.

68. Activities that contribute to Tier III are generally planned and undertaken jointly with other
partners, for example, as rule of law support activities within the ambit of the Global Focal
Point for the Rule of Law (GFP) arrangement or alongside or in coordination with
programmes by the UNCT. When designing and delivering these joint activities, mission
components should examine the extent to which they contribute to the protection of civilians
in the short-, medium-, and long-term, design them in a way that maximises the protective
impact and identify and mitigate any risks to civilians associated with the activity.

69. Many Tier III activities are conducted in support of host state authorities and their
responsibility to protect civilians. These can include security sector reform and capacity
building in areas such as professionalism and integrity, administrative systems to support
the delivery of state services, legal and policy frameworks, human rights, gender equality,
accountability mechanisms, democratic governance, civilian oversight, engagement with
stakeholders, weapons and ammunition management, and the maintenance of public order
and safety, in adherence with the rule of law and international human rights law.

70. Establishing a protective environment also includes support to political processes, including
the full, equal and meaningful participation of women, and ensuring that they are
implemented in a way that furthers the long-term protection of civilians. It includes the
disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants, with particular attention to
children; the implementation of community violence reduction programmes; the promotion
and protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms; the survey and clearance of
explosive ordnance; the cessation of illicit exploitation of natural resources; the prevention
of illicit proliferation and trafficking of small arms and light weapons and the countering of
serious and transnational organized crime.

71. A key aspect of Tier III is strengthening of the rule of law through fighting impunity and
strengthening criminal accountability for serious crimes, improving law enforcement and
judicial processes, including investigations, victim and witness protection and programmes
on reparations and rehabilitation of victims; restoring, extending and strengthening state
authority in the criminal justice sector; improving prison conditions; and strengthening
16
 security to reduce the risk of prison riots, mass escapes and the radicalization of
detainees.22

72. At the local level, Tier III includes enhancing community protection capacities and specialist
referral resources to meet the particular needs of the conflict affected population; building
capacity of civil society, women’s organizations, journalists and human rights defenders;
contributing to creating the conditions conducive to voluntary, safe, dignified and sustainable
solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs); and economic development
activities. It can also include rehabilitation of basic infrastructure through Quick Impact
Projects (QIPs) and programmatic funding. Activities at the local level must be implemented
in coordination and consultation with local communities in order to address the different
protection needs of women, men, girls and boys and to ensure their sustainability and
effectiveness as POC tools. Such activities should also be coordinated with relevant
humanitarian and development actors in the mission area. Working together with the UNCT
and humanitarian actors and depending on the specific mandate, the Mission can help
establish security conditions conducive to the delivery of humanitarian assistance and the
provision of host state services.

C.4 Implementing the Mandate

73. As a whole of mission-mandate, protection of civilians’ analysis, planning and response is a

shared responsibility within the mission under the authority and guidance of mission
leadership. It requires structured and regular information-sharing and joint assessment,
analysis and planning of activities and actions among civilian and uniformed components,
as well as systematic engagement and coordination with UNCT and humanitarian actors.
All missions with a POC mandate shall establish POC planning and coordination fora at
the Mission HQ and Field Office/Sector levels. In addition to all relevant mission
components, these fora should include, as appropriate, OCHA and the protection cluster.
Where relevant, other representatives of the UNCT and other humanitarian actors may also
be included.

74. All missions with a POC mandate shall also have POC Advisers and POC focal points 23
to support the mission leadership in POC analysis, planning and response and coordinate
POC mandate implementation, including liaison and engagement with the UNCT and
humanitarian protection actors, including the protection cluster. The post of the POC Adviser
should be placed in the office of the Head of Mission to facilitate coordination across
components as well as enable proximity to high-level and strategic decision-making.

75. Missions with a POC mandate shall develop a POC strategy. The strategy should set out
the required strategic objectives; assess threats, risks and capacity; prioritize among
threats; and define the mission approach, activities, roles and responsibilities for POC as
well as coordination mechanisms both internally and with other actors. The mission’s POC
strategy must be informed by an age and gender-sensitive analysis and its core elements
must be integrated into mission planning documents, including the mission concept,
strategy/plan, component/section level planning documents, conflict analysis, results-based
budget and Comprehensive Performance Assessment System (CPAS), as appropriate. In
exceptional cases, Heads of Missions can decide to fully integrate the required elements of
POC strategies (as above) into other mission planning documents (without having a

22
DPKO/DFS Policy on Prison Support in United Nations Peace Operations (2015.11) and DPKO/DFS Policy on Justice Support in
United Nations Peace Operations (2016.22).
23
POC focal points are personnel from the mission sections/components that support the coordination and mainstreaming of POC into
mandated activities. They are distinct from the Mission POC Focal Point, who carries out the responsibilities of a Senior POC Adviser
when there is no dedicated Senior POC Adviser post in the mission.
17
 standalone POC strategy) but this should not in any way dilute or reduce the prioritization of
POC. Guidance from UN Headquarters should be sought before such a decision is made.
The POC strategy should be reviewed annually following the mandate renewal and revised
and updated accordingly as necessary. It should also be reviewed and revised in response
to significant changes in the operating context.

76. As missions cannot protect all civilians at all times in all places, mission components must
jointly identify the priority threats to address at the Mission HQ and Field Office/Sector
levels, in close consultation with communities, humanitarians and other actors. This
integrated assessment and prioritization, which shall be reflected in the mission POC
strategy, will form the basis of the mission’s strategic approach to POC and must be
reviewed on an ongoing basis to guide the use of mission resources for POC. Missions shall
prioritize threats to civilians that pose the highest level of risk to civilians. Prioritization of
threats does not, however, equal a choice between addressing and not addressing them.
Missions should consider complementary use of resources and actions across the three
tiers to address various threats simultaneously. Planning for POC requires the collective
contribution of all components (including uniformed, substantive and support components)
to design and execute appropriate courses of action.

77. At the Field Office/Sector level, missions shall establish structured and regular information-
sharing and early warning mechanisms to enable shared analysis and understanding as
well to coordinate response. These mechanisms should involve community members,
including women, taking into account their particular security threats and concerns. At the
Mission HQ level, a forward-looking and data-driven threat assessment conducted by the
mission POC coordination structure will be shared at least quarterly with senior leadership
and UN Headquarters in order to ensure strategic coherence and enable dialogue as
appropriate with Member States and the Security Council on major threats of violence
against civilians.

78. At all times, peacekeeping operations with a POC mandate must show a high level of
readiness for POC, including through the development and management of relevant
contingency plans, in-mission guidance and SOPs, coordination mechanisms, information
management, early warning and response tools and processes, strategic communication
and training activities and other preparedness activities such as rehearsals and table-top
exercises. These mechanisms will be set out in the mission POC strategy. Integrated
Mission Training Centres should be utilized for conducting and supporting POC related
training and exercises.

79. As required, the mission’s POC activities shall be supported and prioritized by the
Director/Chief of Mission Support, including enabling technology and ensuring appropriate
logistical support to deployments of civilian and uniformed components in priority POC
areas. Any mission asset can and should be mobilized to implement the POC mandate, as
necessary.

D. PERFORMANCE AND ACCOUNTABILITY

80. In missions with a POC mandate, all relevant personnel, civilian and uniformed, and, in
particular, senior leadership, including in UN Headquarters, have roles and responsibilities
with respect to the implementation of the POC mandate. For a full description of those
roles and responsibilities, see Annex A to this policy.

81. The Secretariat is institutionally - and the Secretary-General individually - accountable to

18
 the political organs of the UN for the effective implementation of the Organization’s
mandates, including those of peacekeeping operations. This accountability cascades in the
Organization so that senior leaders at UN Headquarters and in mission are responsible
for both their own strategic actions and guidance and for ensuring that organizational and
individual performance management systems are fully utilized to ensure that all relevant
personnel in missions are accountable for their responsibilities for the delivery of POC
mandates. Security Council resolution 2436 (2018) called for a comprehensive and
integrated performance policy framework that identifies clear standards of performance for
evaluating all UN civilian and uniformed personnel working in and supporting peacekeeping
operations, including POC-mandated peacekeeping operations. The Integrated
Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework (IPPAF) (2022) captures the key
peacekeeping policies and standards and explains the consequences of failures to meet
them, the incentives and recognition for outstanding performance, as well as the related
steps that are taken by all parties for different types of personnel and areas. 24

82. In accordance with the requirement to prioritize resources for POC, the strategic and
operational plans of peacekeeping missions with a POC mandate shall reflect clear
objectives, expected accomplishments, performance indicators and actions with defined
responsibilities, towards its implementation, in line with the mission's POC strategy. POC
objectives and indicators shall be agreed by the mission components and reflected in
CPAS and/or other strategic planning documents. These plans form the framework against
which the mission will monitor, evaluate and account for its organizational performance in
the implementation of its POC mandate. Dedicated mission- wide monitoring of POC
mandate implementation shall be undertaken regularly.

83. In a peacekeeping operation, the Head of Mission is accountable to the Secretary-

General, through the USG for Peace Operations, for the implementation of the mandate of
the mission, including its POC mandate. In turn, the Head of Mission will delegate the
relevant responsibility, authority and accountability. Ensuring accountability thus requires
that the Head of Mission hold those reporting to him or her accountable for the proactive
and effective performance of their responsibilities in the implementation of the POC
mandate. All relevant personnel in missions with POC mandates shall include specific and
achievable goals and/or actions related to their responsibility for the delivery of the POC
mandate in their appropriate performance management document. These goals should be
derived from the mission strategic and operational plans, including the mission POC
strategy. Performance of personnel shall be monitored and evaluated accordingly.

84. Senior leaders in missions with POC mandates who have a Compact, including DSRSGs
and Force Commanders at the ASG level, shall include a strategic objective on POC in
their Compact aligned with mandate priorities, the mission’s strategic objectives and their
oversight role. Senior leaders, including Police Commissioners, Chiefs of Staff and
Directors/Chiefs of Mission Support (D/CMS) in missions with POC mandates, shall include
a priority objective in their workplan reflecting their specific responsibilities for the
implementation of the POC mandate, aligned with the strategic objectives of the mission.
Similar responsibilities, based on the mission strategic and operational plans, should be
included in the workplans and performance appraisals of all other relevant staff, as
appropriate.

85. Some personnel serving in UN peacekeeping operations with POC mandates, in particular
members of national military contingents or formed police units, are not appraised
through UN performance management systems. Nonetheless, they are expected to perform
their responsibilities to implement the mandate of the mission effectively and with

24 Integrated Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework, para 9.

19
 professionalism and integrity. The performance of Police Units, and Force Headquarters
and subunits in implementing the POC mandate are measured in accordance with relevant
SOPs. Police Commissioners and Force Commanders must ensure that subordinate units
are ready, able and willing to implement the POC mandate. Performance issues related to
the implementation of the POC mandate should be brought to the attention of UN
Headquarters.

86. There should be continuous learning on the protection of civilians, including through regular
after-action reviews and lessons learned assessments. Reflections on POC should be
included in the end of assignment reports of senior management.

87. In situations where civilians have been killed or subject to physical violence (including sexual
violence) in proximity to a UN base or in a situation where the mission knew or should have
known about an imminent threat to civilians and failed to respond within their capabilities, an
inquiry or after-action review must be undertaken as soon as possible to identify gaps in
integrated mission information gathering, analysis, coordination and/or response. A full
investigation followed by a board of inquiry shall be initiated in case of a POC-related
contravention of the ROE or DUF. Where necessary, UN Headquarters will support an
investigation or conduct an independent investigation. After any evaluation or investigation,
remedial or corrective measures must be taken to avoid reoccurrence and/or improve the
POC response of the mission.

88. In accordance with relevant UN rules, regulations and procedures, in the case of poor
performance of duties or misconduct related to the implementation of the POC mandate, by
civilian or uniformed personnel, the full range of relevant administrative processes, remedies
and consequences will be applied. Any situation associated with POC that involves alleged
misconduct, including contravention of the ROE or DUF, must be referred for a determination
on the need for an additional and separate investigation into the alleged misconduct, in
accordance with applicable procedures.

E. REFERENCES

Normative or Superior References

• United Nations Charter (1945)

• Security Council resolution on the Protection of Civilians: 1265 (1999), 1270 (1999),
1296 (2000), 1674 (2006), 1894 (2009), 2145 (2014), 2222 (2015), 2286 (2016), 2417
(2018), 2475 (2019), 2573 (2021)
• Security Council resolution on Children and Armed Conflict: 1261 (1999), 1314 (2000),
1379 (2001), 1460 (2003), 1539 (2004), 1612 (2005), 1882 (2009), 1998 (2011), 2068
(2012), 2143 (2014), 2225 (2015), 2427 (2018), and 2601 (2021)
• Security Council Resolutions on trafficking in persons in conflict situations: 2331 (2016)
and 2388 (2017)
• Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security, in particular resolutions:
1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2009), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122
(2013), 2242 (2015), and 2467 (2019).
• Reports of the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and its Working Group:
A/55/305 (2000), A/63/19 (2009), A/64/19 (2010), A/65/19 (2011), A/66/19 (2012),
A/72/19 (2018)
• ST/SGB/1999/13 Observance by United Nations forces of international humanitarian law
• ST/SGB/2014/1 UN Staff Rules and Regulations
• ST/AI/2010/5 Performance Management and Development System
20
 • ST/SGB/2017/2/Rev.1 Protection against retaliation for reporting misconduct and for
cooperating with duly authorized audits or investigations
• ST/SGB/2003/13 Special measures for protection from sexual exploitation and sexual
abuse
• A/67/775 Human rights due diligence policy on United Nations support to non-
United Nations security forces,
• United Nations Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (2001)
• United Nations Policy on Human Rights Screening of United Nations Personnel (2012)
• United Nations Policy on Integrated Assessment and Planning (2023)

Related policies, procedures or guidelines

• DPO Guidelines on Gender and Peacekeeping-Intelligence (2022.07)

• DPO UN Engagement Platoon Handbook (2022.11)
• DPO/DFS SOP on Assessment and Evaluation of Formed Police Unit Performance
(2022.10)
• DPO Policy on Joint Mission Analysis Centres (JMAC) (2020.06)
• DPO/DPPA/DSS Standard Operation Procedure (SOP) on the Handling of Detention by
UN Peacekeeping Operations and Special Political Missions (2020.13)
• DPO Guidelines on Joint Operations Centres (JOC) (2019.21)
• DPO Policy on Joint Operations Centres (JOC) 2019.20)
• DPO/DOS/DMSPC Integrated Peacekeeping Performance and Accountability Framework
(IPPAF)
• DPO/DPPA/OHCHR/OSRSG-SVC Policy for United Nations Field Missions on Preventing and
Responding to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (2019.35)
• DPO Policy on Peacekeeping-Intelligence (2019.08)
• DPO Manual on Community-Oriented Policing in UN Peace Operations reference (2018.04)
• DPKO/DFS Joint Mission Analysis Centre Field Handbook (2018.03)
• DPKO/DFS Policy on Gender Responsive United Nations Peacekeeping Operations
(2018.01)
• DPKO/DFS Guidelines on the role of United Nations police in protection of civilians
(2017.12)
• DPKO/DFS/DPA Policy on Child Protection in United Nations Peace Operations
(2017.11)
• DPKO/DFS Guidelines on the Use of Force by Military Components in United Nations
Peacekeeping Operations (2016.24)
• DPKO/DFS Policy on Formed Police Units in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations
(2016.10).
• DPKO/DFS Policy on Justice Support in United Nations Peace Operations (2016.22)
• DPKO/DFS SOP on Evaluation of Force Headquarters in Peacekeeping Operations
(2016.16)
• DPKO/OMA SOP on Force and Sector Commander’s Evaluation of Subordinate Military
Entities in Peacekeeping Operations (2016.02)
• DPKO/DFS Policy on Operational Readiness Assurance and Performance Improvement
(2015.16).
• DPKO/DFS Policy on Prison Support in United Nations Peace Operations (2015.11)
• DPKO/DFS Guidelines on Protection of Civilians: Implementing Guidelines for Military
Components of United Nations Peacekeeping Missions (2015.02)
• OHCHR/DPKO/DPA/DFS Policy on Human Rights in UN Peacekeeping Operations and
Political Missions (2011.20)

Other related references

21
 • Reports of the Secretary-General on the protection of civilians in armed conflict
• Protecting Civilians in the Context of UN Peacekeeping Operations: Successes,
Setbacks and Remaining Challenges - Victoria Holt, Glyn Taylor and Max Kelly
DPKO/OCHA (2009)
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee Statement on the Centrality of Protection in
Humanitarian Action (2013)
• Inter-Agency Standing Committee Policy on Protection in Humanitarian Action (2016)
• International Committee of the Red Cross, Professional Standards for Protection Work (2020)
• UN Strategic Results Framework on Women, Peace and Security 2011-2020 (2011)
• DPO Gender Equality and Women, Peace and Security Resource Package (2020)

F. MONITORING AND COMPLIANCE

89. Compliance with this policy will be monitored by the Protection of Civilians Team within the
Policy and Best Practices Service (PBPS), a branch of the Division of Policy, Evaluation and
Training (DPET) within DPO.

I. CONTACT

90. This policy was developed by the Protection of Civilians team within the Policy and Best
Practices Service, a branch of the Division of Policy, Evaluation and Training within the
Department of Peace Operations ([email protected]). It was developed through close
consultation within DPO as well as with DOS, UNOCC, OCHA, OHCHR, UNICEF, UNHCR,
and OLA policy focal points.

J. HISTORY

91. In 1999, the United Nations Security Council passed its first resolution on the protection of
civilians (S/RES/1265, 1999) and, for the first time, gave a peacekeeping operation the
explicit mandate to take necessary action to protect civilians under threat of physical
violence (S/RES/1270, 1999 on the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, UNAMSIL).
Requests from the Special Committee on Peacekeeping Operations (A/64/19, 2010) and
the Security Council (S/RES/1894, 2009) recognized the need for operational guidance to
inform the implementation of POC mandates. This led to the development of the Operational
Concept on the Protection of Civilians in United Nations Peacekeeping Operations in 2010
and the first DPKO/DFS Policy on the Protection of Civilians in United Nations Peacekeeping
in 2015. These documents drew on operational experience and have formed the core of
doctrine and guidance on the protection of civilians in UN peacekeeping. The policy was
updated in 2019 to reflect the recommendations of the General Assembly Special
Committee on Peacekeeping Operations and broader commentaries and recommendations
on UN peacekeeping, such as the High-Level Independent Panel on Peace Operations
(S/2015/446), the Report on Improving Security of United Nations Peacekeepers (2017) and
the Declaration of Shared Commitments on Action for Peacekeeping (2018).This policy
supersedes the 2019 DPO Policy on the Protection of Civilians in United Nations
Peacekeeping.

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APPROVAL SIGNATURE:

DATE OF APPROVAL:

17 April 2023

23
Annex A: Roles and Responsibilities

1. Overarching responsibilities for all senior leaders in implementing POC mandates

a. To take all necessary and available actions, to use all necessary and available means
and to exercise his or her full authority to ensure proactive, coordinated, efficient and
effective implementation of POC mandates;
b. To ensure that workplans for substantive and relevant support sections and field offices
have clearly defined POC objectives and tasks based on the strategic plans of the
mission, including the mission’s POC strategy;
c. To issue clear, timely and relevant guidance and instructions to guide the
implementation of the POC mandate by the different sections, field offices, and/or
units, including when the operational environment presents new POC challenges;
d. To hold those reporting to him or her accountable for the performance of their
respective POC responsibilities by using applicable performance accountability
frameworks and, where appropriate, including POC responsibilities in job terms of
reference and workplans;
e. To ensure sufficient, practical and context-specific training and exercises on POC for
all personnel;
f. To ensure that all reports of POC underperformance are reported and investigated in
accordance with applicable procedures;
g. To ensure compliance with the Human Rights due diligence policy (HRDDP) and to
put in place processes and create the necessary conditions for the implementation of
this policy;
h. To promote effective and appropriate coordination and complementarity with relevant
humanitarian and development actors on POC in line with respective mandates and
principles;
i. To ensure that POC mandate implementation is informed by a gender analysis and age
considerations and clearly communicate to those reporting to her or him the
requirement for the integration of these considerations in POC strategies, objectives,
tasks, and activities.

2. Core responsibilities of the Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations in

implementing POC mandates
a. To ensure, in collaboration with the USG/DOS, that appointed senior leaders fully
understand POC mandates through briefings and mandatory pre-deployment and
continuous training;
b. To ensure, in collaboration with the USG/DOS and OHCHR, that adequate pre-
deployment and induction training material on POC, UN standards of conduct,
international humanitarian law and international human rights law is made available to
all relevant UN personnel;
c. To support Heads of Missions’ efforts at political outreach and engagement relating to
the POC mandate and host state responsibility to protect civilians, including through
strategic-level engagement with the Security Council, T/PCCs, host states, regional
organizations and other Member States with political leverage to prevent and halt
threats to civilians;
d. To ensure, with field missions, the appropriate prioritization of POC in relevant
directives, mission concepts, police and force concepts of operations (CONOPS), POC
strategies, Comprehensive Performance Assessment System (CPAS), Results-based
budgeting frameworks (RBB), mission-specific rules of engagement (ROE) and police
directives on use of force (DUF), statement of unit requirements (SUR), memoranda of
understanding with Troop and Police-Contributing countries (T/PCCs) and other
mission documents, in consultation with OLA, OHCHR, DOS and other relevant
protection actors;
e. To ensure, with the USG/DOS and field missions, that all components are operationally
24
 ready, able and willing to perform their responsibilities to implement POC mandates
and to work to address any gaps, including through regular reviews of POC
performance; periodic review of cross-cutting POC training requirements and provision
of pre-deployment and in-mission training, scenario-based exercises,
simulations/rehearsals and table-top exercises;
f. To ensure provision of technical advice on specific POC concerns to missions and
sharing best practices and tools across missions;
g. To provide overall leadership and ensuring accountability for the integration of gender
considerations in all POC processes and activities;
h. To ensure, in collaboration with the USG/DOS, the conduct of assessments into
incidents of alleged failure to protect civilians and to effectively address the relevant
findings and recommendations of any Boards of Inquiry or other investigations in
relation to POC-related incidents, including through communication and follow-up with
relevant T/PCCs.

3. Core POC responsibilities for civilian senior mission leadership: Heads of Mission
(HOMs)/Special Representatives of the Secretary-General (SRSGs), Deputy Heads of
Mission, including Deputy SRSGs (DSRSGs), and Chiefs of Staff

The SRSG/HOM retains the ultimate responsibility for the implementation of the POC mandate
by the mission. She/he is responsible for setting the overall vision, strategy and operational
direction of a mission and making informed decisions on resource allocation in the face
of competing priorities. She/he should be supported by an established and effective
mission resource allocation structure that should meet on a regular basis to review and
prioritize mandate implementation activities and to allocate/re-allocate, monitor and
prioritize/re-reprioritize available resources as needed.

While retaining this responsibility, in terms of the role of the civilian component, the
SRSG/HOM can delegate certain tasks, including to his or her deputies, the chief of staff,
chiefs of section, Heads of Field Offices and the Director/Chief of Mission Support. Where
relevant, a DSRSG/RC/HC will help ensure strategic coherence and coordination of the
protection approaches between the mission and humanitarian and development
partners.

Core responsibilities of civilian senior leadership for the implementation of POC

mandates include:

• Strategic

a. To ensure that POC is prioritized in key mission documents and plans including
the Mission plan, CPAS, CONOPS, result-based budgeting (RBB) and component
workplans;
b. To ensure that the Mission has a mission-wide POC strategy, that roles and
responsibilities for implementing POC mandates across mission components are
clearly articulated and that component specific workplans are based on this POC
strategy;
c. To ensure that the performance assessment frameworks of heads of civilian
components and sections and of sector commanders explicitly include
responsibilities, objectives and indicators for delivering the mission’s POC
strategy.

• Political/substantive
a. To ensure that the mission’s political strategy reflects and complements its POC

25
 mandate and that the mission’s good offices are leveraged to prevent and mitigate
threats to civilians;
b. To emphasize the host government’s primary responsibility to protect civilians and,
where the mission has a mandate to do so, to ensure that assistance and support
are provided to the host government to strengthen its capacity to do so;
c. To engage politically to promote protection and prevent threats to civilians,
including through engagement with national and regional actors, non-state armed
groups, and communities, including women’s organizations.

• Operational

a. To ensure that timely decision and action are taken to protect civilians and to
prevent threats to civilians;
b. To ensure an overall framework for coordination and cooperation between police,
military, substantive and support mission components, including for the joint
planning and integrated execution of operations;
c. To ensure regular training and exercises, including annual simulations, scenario-
based and table top exercises and rehearsals take place and contingency plans
are developed;
d. To ensure the establishment and functioning of integrated mission threat
assessments and early warning and response mechanisms;
e. To ensure that a gender analysis is used to inform early warning analysis, risk and
threat assessments as well as strategic and operational planning and
interventions;
f. To ensure that allegations of violations of international humanitarian law and
international human rights law, including CRSV and grave violations against
children, are documented and that they inform early warning analysis, risk and
threat assessments as well as strategic and operational planning;

• Resources/mission support

a. To ensure that resource priorities for POC are identified and included in missions’
budgetary processes;
b. To ensure regular engagement with other senior mission leaders and UN
Headquarters on any identified resource gaps specific to POC;
c. To ensure that POC is prioritized in mission support concepts and plans.

4. Core POC Responsibilities of the Director/Chief of Mission Support

a. To prioritize POC in decisions regarding the allocation, deployment and use of mission
assets and resources within the operational exigencies;
b. To respond to POC-related requests as a priority, understanding the unpredictability
and urgent nature of the issue;
c. To participate, as necessary, in coordination mechanisms related to the
implementation of the mission POC strategy;
d. To ensure that the mission’s capacities for implementing the POC mandate are
adequately resourced, including the deployment of uniformed and/or civilian
components to remote locations for temporary or extended periods of time.

5. Core POC responsibilities of the Force Commander

a. To develop and implement a strategy and operational plans for the military component
to fulfil its responsibilities for implementing the POC mandate, in line with the mission
plans and POC strategy, and in consultation with civilian and police components,
including POC coordination mechanisms;
b. To ensure that Sector, company and unit commanders civilian and police components,

26
 under the coordinating authority of Heads of Field Offices, where applicable;
c. To issue, disseminate and ensure compliance with all necessary orders, directives and
guidance to effectively implement the POC mandate, and to ensure that Sector
Commanders have developed POC-related plans and issued necessary orders;
d. To ensure prioritization of resources for POC-related tasks;
e. To ensure and periodically review the military component’s operational readiness and
preparedness for POC and to identify and address any gaps in capacity, training and
resources;
f. To ensure, along with the Police Commissioner and civilian sections, the development
of an overall framework for coordination, planning and cooperation between the Force,
UN Police (including formed police units) and civilian components, including as
participants in POC coordination structures
g. To ensure that training exercises, simulations, scenario-based and table top exercises
and rehearsals on POC take place at least once per year, with civilian participation
where possible, and that contingency plans are developed, reviewed and revised;
h. To ensure that all personnel under her/his command have a common understanding
of the POC mandate and the actions that should be taken to protect civilians, including
through specific in-mission training, and that they are operationally ready, able and
willing to perform their POC responsibilities and to identify and seek to address any
gaps in capacity, training and resources;
i. To ensure that threat assessments, situational awareness and operational planning on
POC are informed by a gender analysis that prioritizes regular engagement between
the Force and local communities, including with civil society groups such as youth
groups and women’s groups, in close coordination with relevant civilian components,
while ensuring that such engagement does not expose civilians to harm;
j. To ensure follow up of cases of human rights violations by national security forces to
advocate for accountability, in close coordination with human rights components and
Senior Child Protection and Women’s Protection Advisers;
k. To provide information and early warning to mission coordination mechanisms on
threats to civilians and information on allegations of violations of international
humanitarian law and international human rights law to the human rights component
and to the specialized protection capacities (i.e. child protection and CRSV);
l. To order the conduct of proactive preventive measures as well as response measures
to early warning and alerts, including as a response to recommendations arising from
integrated coordination mechanisms;
m. To ensure that POC Advisers are included in military planning processes both to
ensure that military operations are planned to effectively protect civilians and to
contribute to CHM measures;
n. To ensure that the military is systematically preventing, tracking, mitigating and
addressing harm to civilians resulting from the mission’s own military operations,
including those conducted jointly with host state forces;
o. To oversee that the coordination of the military’s participation in the various
mechanisms for the implementation of the POC mandate is effectively carried out by
the Deputy Force Chief of Staff Operations (DFCOS Ops) at the Force headquarters
level and by the Sector/Battalion Chief of Staff at the Sector/Unit level, unless
specifically otherwise designated;
p. To ensure periodic evaluations of subordinate units in line with the DPKO/DFS
standard operating procedure (SOP) on Force and Sector Commanders’ evaluation of
subordinate military entities in peacekeeping operations.

6. Core POC responsibilities of the Police Commissioner

a. To develop and implement a strategy and operational plans for the police component
to fulfil its responsibilities for implementing the POC mandate, in line with the mission
plans and POC strategy and in consultation with the military and civilian components,
27
 including POC coordination mechanisms;
b. To ensure that FPU commanders understand the integrated approach to POC and
work in close coordination with military and civilian components, under the coordinating
authority of Heads of Field Offices, where applicable;
c. To issue, disseminate and ensure compliance with all necessary orders, directives,
and guidance to effectively implement the POC mandate;
d. To ensure prioritization of resources for POC-related tasks;
e. To ensure and periodically review the police component’s operational readiness and
preparedness for POC and to identify and address any gaps in capacity, training and
resources;
f. To ensure, along with the Force Commander and civilian sections, the development of
an overall framework for coordination, planning and cooperation between UN Police
(including formed police units), the Force and civilian components including as
participants in POC coordination structures;
g. To ensure that training exercises, simulations, scenario-based and table top exercises
and rehearsals on POC take place at least once per year, with civilian participation
where possible, and that contingency plans are developed, reviewed and revised;
h. To ensure that all personnel under her/his command have a common understanding
of the POC mandate and the actions that should be taken to protect civilians, including
through specific in-mission training, and that they are operationally ready, able and
willing to perform their POC responsibilities and to identify and seek to address any
gaps in capacity, training and resources;
i. To ensure that threat assessments, situational awareness and operational planning on
POC are informed by a gender analysis that prioritizes regular engagement between
UN Police and local communities, including with civil society groups such as youth
groups and women’s groups, in close coordination with relevant civilian components,
while ensuring that such engagement does not expose civilians to harm;
j. To ensure that UN Police pursue a community-oriented and peacekeeping-
intelligence-led approach to POC, as per relevant policy and guidance, in line with the
“do no harm” principle;
k. To ensure follow up of cases of human rights violations by host state police elements
to advocate for accountability, in close coordination with human rights components and
Senior Child Protection and Women’s Protection Advisers;
l. To provide information and early warning of threats to civilians to mission coordination
mechanisms and information on allegations of violations of international humanitarian
law and international human rights law to the human rights component and to the
specialized protection capacities (i.e. child protection and CRSV);
m. To order the conduct of proactive preventive measures as well as response measures
to early warning and alerts, including as a response to recommendations arising from
integrated coordination mechanisms;
n. To ensure that POC Advisers are included in police planning processes both to ensure
that police operations are planned to effectively protect civilians and to contribute to
CHM measures;
o. To ensure that the police are systematically preventing, tracking, mitigating and
addressing harm to civilians resulting from the mission’s own police operations,
including those conducted jointly with host state forces;
p. To mainstream POC, international humanitarian law and international human rights
law into mentoring, monitoring, advising, capacity building and operational support and
any other relevant activities conducted with host state police counterparts;
q. To ensure periodic evaluations of police units in line with the DPO/DFS standard
operating procedure (SOP) on Assessment and Evaluation of Formed Police Unit
Performance;
r. To oversee that the coordination of the police’s participation in the various mechanisms
for the implementation of the POC mandate is effectively carried out at the
28
 headquarters level and the at the field/sector level through appropriate delegation.

7. Core responsibilities of POC Advisers

In missions that have a POC Adviser 25, the Adviser’s function is to provide advice, support and
guidance on the implementation of the POC mandate; facilitate the development, and
implementation of the mission POC strategy and related guidance for the protection of civilians
by all components; and coordinate all POC efforts undertaken by mission civilian, police and
military components, in liaison with other protection actors. This includes responsibilities:
a. To ensure overall compliance of the Mission's POC efforts with relevant UN or
DPO and DOS policies and guidelines;
b. To ensure that senior mission leadership is regularly updated on current and
emerging threats against civilians and response options to inform timely
decision-making;
c. To ensure that a comprehensive and integrated approach is adopted on all POC
matters in order to effectively leverage resources within the Mission for POC
objectives;
d. To provide support to relevant components and sections, including police and
military, at Mission HQ and Field Office level to ensure that protection of civilians
concerns are adequately reflected in the planning and execution of mission
operations;
e. To ensure close coordination and strengthening of cooperation with relevant
partners including development and humanitarian actors in POC analysis,
implementation of the strategy and local protection plans;
f. To ensure that adequate POC analysis is included in relevant mission planning,
performance and reporting systems;
g. To ensure that POC guidance, analysis, reporting, and briefings are informed by
gender analysis;
h. To coordinate the establishment/monitoring and implementation of POC
coordination forums;
i. To work with the relevant staff in the mission to conduct and support after action
reviews and lessons learned studies on the mission's POC efforts;
j. To support the assessment of training needs on protection of civilians issues
within the mission, as well as the design and delivery of tailored POC modules
with relevant mission components, in close consultation with the Integrated
Mission Training Centre.

8. Core POC responsibilities of Heads of Field Offices and civilian components

In line with the mission plan and POC strategy, field offices are expected to develop strategic,
operational and contingency plans for integrated activities in support of the implementation of
the POC mandate. These POC responsibilities and objectives must be reflected in the terms
of reference, individual workplans and evaluations of Heads of Field Offices and heads of
civilian mission components.

Heads of Field Offices ensure overall coherence of POC mandate implementation in their area
of responsibility (AoR), and coordination among civilian sections and between the civilian,
police and military components.

Recognizing that the specific responsibilities of mission components vary according to the
particular mandate and structure of a peacekeeping mission, this section sets out illustrative
responsibilities of components who play a particular role in implementing the POC mandate.
These can be adjusted in accordance with mission-specific POC strategies.

25 In missions without a Senior POC Adviser, many of these functions will be carried out by a POC mission focal point
29
9. Core POC responsibilities of Heads of Field Offices
a. To exercise their coordinating authority to ensure an integrated approach to POC at
the field office level;
b. To provide strategic guidance to field offices on the implementation of the POC
mandate in line with the mission plan and POC strategy in the AoR of the field office
and based on the particular threats in the AoR, in consultation with the POC Adviser;
c. To emphasize the host government’s primary responsibility to protect and, where the
mission has a mandate to do so, to coordinate field office assistance and support to
the host government in order to strengthen its capacity to do so;
d. To develop a field office-specific strategy and workplan on the implementation of the
POC mandate in the AoR, including through engagement with political actors, armed
actors and communities;
e. To ensure coordination between relevant components (civilian, police and military) of
information-sharing, analysis and response to threats through POC coordination
mechanisms at field office level;
f. To ensure that field office level threat analysis, early warning and response
mechanisms are in place and to escalate threats and situations to mission HQ when
necessary;
g. To ensure outreach to relevant humanitarian and development actors to promote
effective and appropriate coordination and complementarity on POC;
h. To ensure that any POC related guidance, strategies, information, analysis, or
outreach has been adequately informed by a gender analysis.

10. Core POC responsibilities of Political Affairs Components

a. To ensure the development, regular update and implementation of a mission-specific
political strategy that includes political activities and public messaging for POC;
b. To promote political solutions and prioritize POC in mission political
strategy/messaging;
c. To engage perpetrators or potential perpetrators of violence against civilians in
structured and regular dialogue;
d. To analyse and share information on political trends and emerging tensions to inform
early warning, risk and threat assessments, contingency and operational planning;
e. To use good offices to promote the host government’s primary responsibility to protect
civilians;
f. To advise, support and implement inclusive political dialogue activities for POC in
coordination with POC coordination mechanisms.

11. Core POC responsibilities of Human Rights Components

a. To support POC data-driven analysis, planning and decision-making through
documentation, investigation and reporting on allegations of violations of international
humanitarian law and international human rights law, where applicable, including
sexual violence and violations against children, in particular where there are no
dedicated child protection and/or CRSV mission capacities;
b. To share relevant information and trend analysis with mission coordination and
analysis bodies, including POC coordination mechanisms, to inform early warning,
prevention, risk and threat assessments, as well as planning at the Mission HQ and
Field Office levels, with a view to mitigate the risk of violence against civilians;
c. To engage with parties to conflicts (both State and non-State actors) to promote the
upholding of their obligations under international humanitarian law and international
human rights law, raise allegations of violations and abuses in particular of the rights
to life and physical integrity, and seek corrective action, including accountability, with
a view to build and maintain a protective environment in the long-term;
d. In high-risks contexts, to consider establishing a protection programme for individuals
who engage with the mission, including human rights defenders, victims and witnesses
30
 of human rights violations, community workers, women’s organizations, journalists,
lawyers and other civil society representatives, in consultation with UN Headquarters.
Develop concrete measures and tools to prevent and address intimidation and
reprisals as well as to ensure adequate documentation and internal reporting of
incidents;
e. To strengthen, in line with the mission’s mandate, the capacity of host state authorities
to protect civilians, including support to security forces (defence, police and
gendarmerie) to comply with international humanitarian law and international human
rights law, to judiciary personnel to perform their functions, and to lawmakers to support
institution-building/reform and legislative frameworks;
f. To inform the SRSG and High Commissioner for Human Rights of any allegations of
violations of international humanitarian law or international human rights law by UN
personnel;
g. To provide secretariat functions for the Human Rights Due Diligence Policy (HRDDP)
Task Force and support the development of risk-assessments.

12. Core POC responsibilities of Civil Affairs Components

a. To ensure regular engagement with local communities and local authorities for early
warning and conflict resolution activities, particularly with civil society groups such as
youth groups or women’s groups, in close coordination with relevant civilian, police
and military components;
b. To support the establishment and development of community alert networks (CANs)
and community protection plans (CPPs) to enhance early warning and conflict
prevention;
c. To ensure that Community Liaison Assistants (CLAs), where they are deployed, have
the necessary training and resources to effectively support civilian and uniformed
components in the implementation of POC activities;
d. To gather, analyse and share information on root causes of conflict, local dynamics
and interests of various actors to inform early warning, risk and threat assessments as
well as contingency and operational planning;
e. To support peace and reconciliation initiatives to mitigate the risk of escalation of
violent conflicts, reduce threats to civilian populations and promote social cohesion;
f. To sensitize local and national authorities, civil society actors, community leaders and
international partners on local conflict patterns as well as actions required to address
root causes, overcome obstacles and reach agreements;
g. To support conflict management roles of local authorities by fostering inclusive
dialogues and building trust between local authorities and their constituents;
h. To support infrastructure development to mitigate conflicts caused by competition over
natural resources;
i. To build confidence of local communities on UN police and military activities and POC
mandate implementation.

13. Core POC responsibilities of JMACs

a. To monitor, collect and evaluate information relevant to the implementation of the
POC mandate, including information from a variety of sources;
b. To generate timely integrated analysis products, including trend / incident analyses;
threat assessments; forward-looking assessments; scenarios; profiling; and risk
mapping. This includes (but is not limited to) analysis of conflict dynamics and trends,
as well as possible or emerging threats to the civilian population;
c. To ensure that analysis and forecasting incorporates a gender analysis and that
reporting consistently includes data disaggregated by sex and age;
d. To ensure that the peacekeeping-intelligence cycle supports POC outcomes, including
through the incorporation of POC-related information requirements in Mission

31
 Information Acquisition Plans;
e. To share information on conflict trends and emerging threats to civilian populations
with relevant mission components, POC coordination mechanisms and non-mission
protection actors, as appropriate, as directed by senior leadership and in accordance
with the JMAC policy, to inform early warning, risk and threat assessments;
f. To provide senior mission leadership with an understanding of issues and trends and
their potential implications for POC mandate implementation;
g. To ensure an appropriate level of confidentiality in the acquisition, handling and
sharing of information (including source protection), and the appropriate dissemination
of final products;
h. To participate in and where possible provide forward-looking analysis to regular
coordination forums on protection, such as protection working groups (PWGs), Senior
Management Groups on Protection (SMG-Ps), and other similar meetings.

14. Core POC responsibilities of JOCs

a. To consolidate, maintain and disseminate, as appropriate and in a timely manner,
information on threats to civilians in the mission area, including providing timely
operational information to mission POC coordination and early warning fora and
mechanisms;
b. To ensure that situational awareness is informed by a gender analysis and that
reporting consistently includes data disaggregated by sex and age;
c. To act as a crisis management centre and support an integrated mission response in
the event of a crisis involving the protection of civilians;
d. To coordinate and facilitate joint operational planning and execution to protect civilians,
in missions where the JOC serves a coordination function for cross-component
operations;
e. To ensure timely operational reports to senior mission managers and UNHQ on
situations where civilians are under threat, including through ad hoc issuance of
Special Incident (“Flash”) Reports and inclusion in integrated Situation Reports.

15. Core POC responsibilities of Security Sector Reform Components

a. To engage in regular analysis of the threats to civilians deriving from the weaknesses
of the national security governance system and from specific security institutions,
including the defence sector;
b. To advise mission leadership and coordinate engagement with national authorities and
international partners, where relevant, to ensure that the development of national SSR
policies is consistent with the overarching objective of the host state’s responsibility to
protect civilians, and to ensure that international support to national security forces
prioritizes POC needs and objectives;
c. To advise and implement approaches, as appropriate, to reduce risks to civilians
stemming from national security forces, including through support to relevant
accountability mechanisms and confidence building measures;
d. To provide advice and coordinate with the mission military component in the planning
and review of joint operations with national security forces to ensure that these are
aligned with the broader objectives of SSR and contribute to strengthening the
commitment and capacity of the host state to protect civilians.

16. Core POC responsibilities of Disarmament, Demobilization and Reintegration

Components
a. To share relevant information and analysis on non-state armed groups with mission
coordination and analysis bodies to contribute to early warning, risk and threat
assessments with a view to mitigate the risk of violence against civilians;
b. To advocate for the protection of civilians in all engagements with armed forces and
groups;
32
 c. To support the implementation of a DDR programme as part of a peace process,
taking into consideration protection of civilians;
d. To ensure that the implementation of a DDR programme is informed by a gender
analysis in order to effectively support the protection of civilians;
e. To prioritize or sequence the implementation of DDR and Community Violence
Reduction (CVR) activities in such a way as to address first the areas where the threat
to civilians is the most acute (“hotspots”);
f. To implement CVR programmes and, where possible, provide alternative livelihoods
to members of armed groups and communities, including youth at risk of being
recruited into armed groups, to prevent them from engaging in violence;
g. To bolster the capacity and social cohesion efforts of communities of return to integrate
demobilized combatants.

17. Core POC responsibilities of Justice and/or Corrections Components

a. To engage in regular analysis on the functioning of rule of law institutions and rule of
law-related dynamics and developments that are likely to have wider political and
security implications;
b. To assess the functioning of the criminal justice sector and identify the capacity and
willingness of these actors to respond to serious crimes committed against civilians,
including through the investigation and prosecution of crimes and the arrest and
detention of suspects;
c. To support the restoration of basic rule of law services in priority areas where the
absence of functioning rule of law institutions results in increasing threats of violence
against civilians;
d. Without prejudice to state sovereignty and in complementarity with ordinary justice
mechanisms, to engage with state and/or local institutions to support community-
based mechanisms that aim to peacefully settle intercommunal disputes;
e. To ensure the safe, humane and secure detention of those apprehended by the
mission for serious crimes perpetrated against civilians and other high-risk detainees;
f. To engage with domestic institutions to strengthen judicial oversight;
g. To assist in/support the investigation and prosecution of perpetrators of conflict-related
serious crimes committed against civilians, and support the safe, secure and humane
detention of such perpetrators.

18. Core POC responsibilities of Mine Action Components

a. To assess, analyse and share information, including with POC coordination
mechanisms, on explosive ordnance contamination to highlight critical risks to civilians
that take into consideration gendered and age-related risks;
b. To share relevant information gathered through regular engagement with local
communities while carrying out survey and/or risk education;
c. To recommend potential mine action projects that could support protection of civilians
and/or confidence building measures to reinforce humanitarian and political priorities;
d. To manage the delivery of risk education, clearance of explosive ordnance and survivor
assistance;
e. To engage with state and/or local institutions to build capacity to mitigate the threat
posed by explosive ordnance;
f. To support weapons and ammunition management efforts, where relevant;
g. To support the implementation of a mine action programme as part of a peace process,
where relevant.

19. Core POC responsibilities of Strategic Communications and Public

Information Components
a. To include key messages on the protection of civilians in strategic mission documents
and plans on public information;
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 b. To develop and disseminate messaging that explains the mission’s role in protecting
civilians and manages expectations;
c. To use public information tools to encourage respect for international humanitarian law
and international human rights law as well as peace and reconciliation and discourage
attacks on civilians;
d. To use strategic communications tools to influence behaviors, shape perceptions, and
promote narratives contributing to POC, including through proactive efforts to counter
disinformation and misinformation and hate speech;
e. To gather and share relevant information with mission POC coordination forums, for
example on the use of disinformation, misinformation and hate speech.

20. Core POC responsibilities of Strategic Planning Units

a. To integrate POC into strategic and operational mission planning processes;
b. To support whole-of-mission planning and coordination of mission-mandated activities,
including through collaboration among POC advisers, police, military and other mission
personnel;
c. To provide advice, as required, for the development or revision of mission POC
strategies, in order to ensure alignment with wider strategic documents and plans;
d. To ensure that POC priorities and activities are adequately reflected in strategic
planning documents, including the mission concept, strategy/plan, conflict analysis,
results-based budget and CPAS, as appropriate, and that these are aligned with the
mission’s POC strategy;
e. To work with colleagues to ensure the integration of POC indicators in CPAS, and to
help monitor and report on mission impact in areas of POC;
f. In the context of transitions, to ensure that POC is included in planning processes and
strategies. Support the identification of clear, realistic and measurable benchmarks,
informed by the host state’s capacity to protect civilians, and in coordination with UN,
international, national and local stakeholders.

21. Core POC responsibilities of Legal Advisers

a. To provide advice on the applicable legal framework(s) and consequent implications
for the implementation of the POC mandate and the planning and conduct of
operations;
b. To advise and support on the interpretation of the mission mandate, ROE, DUF, SOFA
and other key documents that guide the implementation of the POC mandate;
c. To advise and assist in the drafting of mission-specific SOPs and other key documents
that guide the mission implementation of the POC mandate;
d. To provide training to mission uniformed personnel on key POC, international
humanitarian law and international human rights law compliance and provisions.

22. Core POC responsibilities of Child Protection Advisers

In missions that have a Child Protection Adviser, her/his function is to implement the child
protection mandate of UN peace operations, including by advising and facilitating the
mainstreaming of child protection into the broader protection efforts of the mission. In support of
POC mandate implementation, she/he will have the following responsibilities:
a. To advise senior mission leadership, including SRSG/HOMs, DSRSGs, Force
Commanders and Police Commissioners, and police and military focal points, on child
protection issues and relevant actions to be taken;
b. To monitor and share information, including with POC coordination mechanisms, on
protection threats faced by children and grave violations against children in situations
of armed conflict;
c. To engage in dialogue with parties to the conflict on the signing and implementation of
Security Council mandated action plans to halt and prevent grave violations against
children;
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 d. To support the release and reintegration of children associated with armed forces and
armed groups, as part of action plan dialogue, peace negotiations and peace
agreements, disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (DDR) programmes or
other relevant processes;
e. To advocate for protective, preventive and remedial measures in relation to other
violations of children’s rights identified as key child protection concerns by the mission
(i.e. security detention of children and use of schools for military purposes);
f. To advocate with host state governments, diplomatic and donor communities, regional
and international organizations, including through the release of public advocacy
reports on children affected by armed conflict;
g. To provide training, guidance and expertise on child protection issues, tools and
methodologies, in close cooperation with the Integrated Mission Training Centre;
h. To contribute to the development of the mission’s POC strategy and other plans related
to its implementation.

23. Core POC responsibilities of Women’s Protection Advisers

In missions that have a Women’s Protection Adviser, her/his function is to implement the CRSV
mandate of UN peace operations, including by advising and facilitating the mainstreaming of
CRSV concerns into the broader protection efforts of the mission. In support of POC mandate
implementation, she/he will have the following responsibilities:
a. To advise senior mission leadership, including SRSG/HOMs, Deputy SRSGs, Force
Commanders and Heads of United Nations Police (UNPOL) components, and police
and military focal points on the implementation of the CRSV mandate and on relevant
CRSV issues and actions to be taken;
b. To ensure the integration of information and analysis of specific CRSV threats faced
by women, men, girls and boys into POC analysis and decision-making for timely and
effective preventive actions by the Mission;
c. To provide advice on POC activities and courses of action to ensure that they take into
account risks and threats of CRSV;
d. To monitor and analyse CRSV concerns with a view to provide up-to-date CRSV risk
analysis and early warning for use by the mission in protecting civilians;
e. To engage in dialogue with parties to conflict on the signing and implementation of
commitments to halt and prevent CRSV, in line with Security Council resolutions,
supporting parties to conflict in the implementation of commitments to address CRSV,
and regularly reviewing progress with parties to conflict and the UN system;
f. To advocate for timely, dignified and quality assistance for CRSV survivors;
g. To provide training, guidance and expertise on CRSV prevention and response
through POC mechanisms, in close cooperation with the Integrated Mission Training
Centre;
h. To contribute to the development of the mission’s POC strategy and other plans
related to its implementation.

24. Core POC responsibilities of Gender Advisers

In missions that have a Gender Adviser, her/his function is to implement the gender equality
and Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda, including by advising and facilitating the
mainstreaming of gender and WPS concerns into the broader protection efforts of the mission.
In support of POC mandate implementation, he/she will have the following responsibilities:
a. To advise senior mission leadership, including SRSG/HOMs, Deputy SRSGs, Force
Commanders, and Heads of the United Nations Police (UNPOL) components, and
police and military focal points on the integration of gender and WPS considerations into
all Mission POC mechanisms, processes and activities;
b. To provide strategic advice and technical support on the implementation of gender
analysis, including a gender-responsive conflict analysis, and the meaningful
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 participation of women, across the three tiers of POC action;
c. To ensure the integration of information and analysis of specific gender-based threats
and gender-responsive early warning indicators into POC analysis, planning, reporting
and decision-making;
d. To provide technical advice and support that ensures mission POC activities and
courses of action are gender-responsive and integrate WPS considerations;
e. To support training efforts, provide guidance and expertise on gender equality and WPS,
including how to conduct and integrate a gender analysis in POC activities, in close
cooperation with the POC Adviser and Integrated Mission Training Centre;
f. To provide strategic advice and technical support to the POC Adviser on gender-
responsive POC and contribute to the development of a gender-responsive POC
strategy and related implementation plans;
g. To contribute to the development of the mission’s POC strategy and other plans related
to its implementation.

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