Civilian Harm

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Antonio Guterres speaks at a podium

Starting Bell Rings for U.N. Counterterrorism Negotiations with Big Questions Unanswered

Yesterday, United Nations (U.N.) Secretary-General António Guterres released the biannual report on the “Activities of the United Nations system in implementing the United Nations…
Dutch battle group platoon commander Lieutenant Rik (L) speaks with an Afghan village elder during a patrol in Chora valley in Afghanistan's southern Uruzgan province.

Dutch Court, Applying IHL, Delivers Civil Judgment for Victims of 2007 Afghanistan Attack

"Ideally, a judgment like that in the Chora case can provide, in addition to justice for the plaintiffs, a constructive effect towards a better functioning of the military consistent…

The US Needs a Strategy for (Human) Security Cooperation

The result is a frequent perception of enabling rights abuses and atrocities committed by foreign military partners.
A U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter takes off at sunset while transporting American troops out of a remote combat outpost known as RLZ on May 25, 2021 near the Turkish border in northeastern Syria.

The Limits of Remote Warfare: Aligning Values with Interests

The Biden administration should be more circumspect in its reliance on lethal force as a foreign policy tool outside of traditional war zones.

Under the Pentagon’s New Civilian Harm Action Plan, Addressing Credible Cases is a Moral Imperative

If the new CHMR-AP is to have a meaningful impact, it must address families making requests of the Pentagon now.
Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) speaks at a news conference on government spending at the U.S. Capitol Building on December 07, 2022

The FY 2023 NDAA Falls Short on Security Assistance Oversight

The NDAA did little to address the civilian harm, corruption, and weapons diversion linked to U.S. security assistance and cooperation.
Just Security

Incremental Progress on Civilian Harm in the FY2023 National Defense Bill

The NDAA includes much-needed measures to prevent and respond to civilian harm resulting from U.S. military operations abroad.
U.S. Soldiers of the 663rd Ordnance Company, 242nd Ordnance Battalion, drive military vehicles to the explosives range at Al Asad Air Base, Iraq, Nov. 29, 2019. The Explosive Ordnance Disposal Soldiers utilize these ranges to provide controlled disposal of explosive Ordnance. The Coalition is in Iraq by invitation of, and operates in close coordination with, the Government of Iraq. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Derek Mustard)

Missed Opportunities and Minor Progress: The FY 2023 National Defense Bill and War Powers

One big disappointing omission and otherwise a mixed bag from the standpoint of winding down the United States’ forever wars -- despite leaders of both parties having proclaimed…
apartment block destroyed by Russian occupying forces in Izyum, Kharkiv oblast, Ukraine.

The Case for the International Crime of Domicide

"By defining domicide as a crime in its own standing, the international community would close protection gaps and move ever closer to ensuring that serious violations of economic,…
Indian Dalit rights activists, intellectuals, and journalists shout slogans against the police raid and illegal arrest of human right activists under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) during a protest in New Delhi on August 29, 2018. A yellow banner reads, "Citizens protest against the police raids and illegal arrest of human rights activists." Indian police had arrested prominent lawyers and left-wing activists on August 28 for alleged links to Maoist rebels, drawing a rebuke from rights watchdogs who labelled the raids a "massive crackdown" on government critics. (Photo credit should read PRAKASH SINGH/AFP via Getty Images)

India’s Abuses at Home Raise Concerns About Its Global Counterterrorism Role

It is hosting a special meeting of the UN Security Council’s Counter-Terrorism Committee, which it chairs, even amid internal repression.
Canadian United Nations soldiers prepare to move out of a base in Gao on August 1, 2018, to take part in an operation during the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

Time to Come Clean: The Canadian Armed Forces and Protection of Civilians

Canada should be more transparent about its policies for preventing and responding to civilian harm in military operations.
Just Security

Extremist Ideologies and the Roots of Mass Atrocities: Lessons for Ukraine

Mass atrocities consistently depend on justificatory narratives rooted in prevailing ideological worldviews and institutions.
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