International humanitarian law requires all parties to conflict to respect civilians and civilian infrastructure, but those who should be spared continue to suffer severely. 2022 saw a 53 percent increase in the number of civilians killed in 12 armed conflicts, according to UN records. 

Here are five reasons why strengthening the protection of civilians is imperative 

1. Minimize civilian harm 
Armed conflict leads to civilian deaths, injuries and trauma. in 2022, nearly 94 percent of those harmed by the use of explosive weapons in densely populated areas in 17 conflict-affected countries and territories were civilians. 

Conflict also leads to the destruction of homes, schools, medical facilities, water supplies and other critical infrastructure. When critical infrastructure is destroyed or damaged, basic services such as water, electricity and health care are disrupted, causing further suffering. People have fled the conflict and have been unable to return to their homes for long periods of time. 

Mohammed, 16, stands amid the rubble in the northeastern Libyan port city of Benghazi. He lost his home with his parents and four siblings in the 2015 conflict.
OCHA/Giles Clarke Mohammed, 16, stands in rubble in the northeastern Libyan port city of Benghazi. He and his parents and four siblings lost their home in the 2015 conflict.
2. Preventing and addressing hunger and famine 
Last year, conflict and insecurity were the biggest drivers of severe food insecurity for some 117 million people in 19 countries and territories. 

Crops were destroyed, livestock were stolen, land was damaged, roads were blocked and farmers were driven off their farms. Livelihoods have been lost as a result, while food prices have skyrocketed.

One-year-old Ahmed Mohamed Jr. is screened for malnutrition at the Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Program (OTP) with the support of humanitarian partners in Kismayo, Jubbaland, Somalia. Acute malnutrition persists in many parts of the country.
OCHA/Adedeji Ademigbuji One-year-old Ahmed Mohamed Jr. is screened for malnutrition at the Outpatient Therapeutic Feeding Program (OTP) with support from humanitarian partners in Kismayo, Jubbaland region, Somalia. Acute malnutrition persists in many parts of the country.
3. Protection of vulnerable groups 
Women, children and people with disabilities are affected by the conflict in different ways, and protecting vulnerable groups is critical. 

Last year, women and girls accounted for at least 95 percent of recorded victims of sexual violence. Children are abducted, recruited and used in hostilities, and denied access to education. People with disabilities are trapped in hostilities and denied access to food, water, medical care or humanitarian assistance. 

A girl offers help to others on her way home from school in Idlib, northwestern Syria. People with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in the crisis, dying on average two to four times more often than the general population in disasters.
OCHA/Ali Haji Suleiman A girl offers help to others on her way home from school in Idlib, northwest Syria. People with disabilities are among the most marginalized groups in the crisis, dying on average two to four times more often than the general population in disasters.
4. Ensuring Safe Access for Humanitarian Workers 
Humanitarian workers face overlapping challenges that have an impact on their ability to deliver assistance to those most in need. 

Factors including hostilities, explosives, bureaucratic obstacles, state sanctions and counter-terrorism measures slow or stall humanitarian activities, leaving people without the essential supplies they need. 

In addition, they themselves are under attack. Reports indicate that humanitarian workers have been killed or injured, and face the threat of kidnapping and looting. Misinformation and disinformation also undermine trust and pose security risks for humanitarian workers. 

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) is one of the humanitarian agencies providing support to internally displaced persons in El Geneina, Western Darfur, Sudan.
IOM/Muse Mohammed The International Organization for Migration is one of the humanitarian agencies providing support to internally displaced persons in El Geneina, West Darfur, Sudan.
5. Preventing forced displacement and finding durable solutions 
In 2022, the number of people forcibly displaced by conflict, violence, human rights violations and persecution exceeds a staggering 100 million. Even after fleeing violence, people remain in insecure situations. They face increased risk of violence, bombings, and limited access to basic services. Displaced people face greater difficulties in accessing food, which increases with the number of times they are displaced. 

Medina, 16, attends classes at a Save the Children site in Dalori camp in Maiduguri, where Save the Children has set up sites and services for vulnerable children in communities and displaced persons camps across Nigeria.
OCHA/Damilola Onafuwa Medina, 16, attends classes at a site set up by Save the Children in Dalori Camp in Maiduguri, where Save the Children has established sites and services for vulnerable children in communities and camps for the displaced across Nigeria.
What must be done? 
First, we need all countries and parties to conflict to incorporate IHL into their legislation, military manuals and training, and to take specific protection measures for vulnerable groups such as children and people with disabilities," explains Aurélien Buffler, chief of OCHA's Policy Advisory and Planning Section. We also need all states to join the new Political Declaration on Strengthening the Protection of Civilians from the Humanitarian Consequences of the Use of Explosive Weapons in Populated Areas and to translate their commitments into meaningful action." 

"Second, we need unimpeded humanitarian access and protection for all humanitarian workers and goods. Humanitarians must be allowed to safely deliver much-needed assistance to those most in need, and must be encouraged to negotiate access with parties to armed conflict and to promote compliance with international humanitarian law. States should ensure that their sanctions and counter-terrorism measures do not negatively impact the delivery of humanitarian and medical assistance." 

"Third, all states must ensure respect for IHL, which can be achieved through political dialogue, training of combatants, making military support conditional on recipient states' respect for international law, and the investigation and prosecution of war crimes." 

About "Protection of Civilians Week" 
"Protection of Civilians Week provides an opportunity for networking, discussion and sharing of knowledge and solutions to enhance the protection of civilians. It is a platform for the voices of victims of armed conflict to be heard, and for their views and needs to be actively listened to by people from around the world.