Introduction

The principle of civilian protection is at the heart of the HD Centre´s mission and work. Its mediation activities seek to prevent or stop civilian suffering before, during and after war. Its policy work continuously argues the case for civilian protection and humanitarian restraint in armed conflict. It aims to provide practical advice to those working and negotiating on behalf of civilians.

In recent years, the international community has shown an increasing commitment to the protection of civilians suffering in conflict at the hands of armed actors, including governments and non-state actors. Yet conflict continues to cause extreme civilian suffering, especially across Africa (as seen in Darfur, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Somalia for example) where regional and national institutions with a mandate to help are not strong enough and generally lack technical skills to do so.