“Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Humanitarian Challenges in the Pacific”

   The workshop “Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Humanitarian Challenges in the Pacific” dealt with the development of humanitarian policy.  The workshop was co-organised by the University of the South Pacific and the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). 

   The workshop brought together representatives from government ministries, defense forces, academic institutions and key non-governmental organizations within the Pacific region.  There was also representation from the Forum Secretariat and other regional organisations, as well as a cross-section of UN Agencies working on these issues.

   This regional workshop, along with a number of other regional workshops that OCHA has coordinated recently, stemed from OCHA’s mandate to develop a policy framework on the protection of civilians in armed conflict in close collaboration with its humanitarian partner agencies and interested Member States to ensure that Security Council resolutions better address the need for protection of civilians.  The protection of civilians in armed conflict is an umbrella concept for humanitarian policies that embrace legal, military, humanitarian assistance and human rights concerns.  Work has been undertaken through the Security Council to mainstream protection issues into policy and decision-making processes, both within the United Nations system as well as within Member States and regional bodies.  Through this process, OCHA hopes to develop the “culture of protection” called for by the Secretary-General and to gain vital regional input on humanitarian protection priorities in conflict situations.

Contact us:

UNOCHA (Suva)
3rd Floor, FDB Building,
Victoria Parade, Suva, Fiji.
Ph: (679) 3316761
Fax: (679) 3309762
[email protected]