The Protection of Civilians in UN Peacekeeping Operations:
Recent Developments
Authors: Michael G. Smith, Jeni Whalan and Peter Thomson
Volume 7, Number 4 (Summer 2011), pp. 27-38.
Abstract
The frequency with which peacekeeping operations have proved inadequate to protect civilians has prompted substantial reform of peacekeeping mandates and practice. But it has also led to significant normative developments within the wider UN system—not just in peacekeeping mandates and practice. This article charts the normative, institutional and operations contours of the protection of civilians in armed conflict within the UN, highlighting the particular contributions of the Australian government to that agenda. It concludes by identifying four pathways through which efforts to protect civilians can be improved.
About the Authors
Michael G. Smith is the founding Executive Director of the Asia Pacific Civil-Military Centre of Excellence (APCMCOE). From 2002-2008 he was CEO of Austcare. Mike formerly served as an Army Officer in the Australian Defence Force for 34 years, retiring in 2002. He is an Adjunct Professor at the Key Centre for Ethics, Law, Justice and Governance at Griffith University. michaelgsmith@gmail.com.
Jeni Whalan is Research and Lessons Learned Manager at the APCMCOE and a Research Associate at the Global Economic Governance Programme, University of Oxford. She holds a DPhil in International Relations and a DPhil in International Relations from the University of Oxford. jeni.whalan@civmilcoe.gov.au.
Peter Thomson is Governance and Rule of Law Advisor at the APCMCOE. He is seconded from the Attorney-General’s Department. From 1997 to 2004 he was appointed as a Member of the Australian Refugee Review Tribunal. He has undertaken AusAID-funded consultancies as the Long Term Human Rights Adviser within the Indonesian Department of Justice and Human Rights. He holds a Bachelor of Law and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of New South Wales and a Master of Public Law from the ANU. peter.thomson@civmilcoe.gov.au.
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