Open Debate on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

Canada national statement

New York, 23 May 2019

Madam/Mr. President,

Twenty years ago when the Protection of Civilians agenda was first introduced in the Security Council, then Canadian Foreign Minister Lloyd Axworthy said:

"The ultimate aim of the Council’s work is to safeguard the security of the world’s people, not just the States in which they live."

This continues to be true today.

Canada is proud to have played a pivotal role in establishing the Protection of Civilians agenda as a core tenet of this Council’s work.

It was a paradigm shift in how the Council saw international peace and security. And over twenty years important progress has been made.

We commend the Council’s efforts on Children and Armed Conflict, Women, Peace, and Security, conflict prevention and accountability, and on the mainstreaming the Protection of Civilians throughout peacekeeping mandates and training, and in the context of sanctions regimes.  These developments have undoubtedly saved lives and brought hope for people in their darkest hours.

But significant gaps persist.

Civilians continue to account for the vast majority of casualties in armed conflict, including in Yemen, Syria, Myanmar, South Sudan, Central African Republic, and the Lake Chad Basin countries.

These unlawful attacks against civilians are a clear violation of International Humanitarian Law and an assault on the rules-based international order.

Canada is alarmed that, despite Resolution 2286, violence directed against humanitarian personnel has increased, including the targeting of medical personnel and facilities, as well as schools. Recent weeks have seen a shocking number of attacks on hospitals and health facilities in Idlib Syria. Canada condemns these attacks and calls on those responsible to ensure fundamental protection to civilians caught in this conflict.

We are outraged by the use of sexual and gender-based violence as a tactic of war. As Canada noted in this Council last month, we must ensure that robust legal and institutional arrangements are in place to address sexual and gender-based violence in armed conflict and that steps are taken to investigate and prosecute perpetrators.

Madam/Mr. President

In this chamber and in the field, Canada has a proven track record in advancing the Protection of Civilians.

During our G7 Presidency, Canada championed implementation of International Humanitarian Law through partnered operations.

Canada believes that the protection of all civilians requires gender-responsive approaches. This includes humanitarian action, which now responds to the increased insecurity and threats that women and girls and other groups, including LGBTI persons, often face during armed conflict. Improved access to comprehensive sexual and reproductive health services remains a non-negotiable component of an effective response.

This also includes the meaningful participation of women and girls in decision-making processes, including local women’s organizations.

Canada is also advancing the Protection of Civilians agenda through our renewed approach to peacekeeping.

Following the launch of the Vancouver Principles on Peacekeeping and the Prevention of the Recruitment and Use of Child Soldiers, we are leading a multi-stakeholder process to help translate political commitment into meaningful action.

Continuing our longstanding support for mine action, Canada remains firmly committed to advancing the goals of the Ottawa Convention and to achieve a world free of landmines by 2025.

Madame/Mr. President.

On the 70th anniversary of the Geneva Conventions, it is timely for the Council to recommit to the protection of civilians agenda.

Canada urges the Council to advocate, unequivocally, for compliance with International Humanitarian Law compliance, and to condemn violations when they occur. The Council must continue to pursue accountability measures.

The Council must also advance the gendered dimensions of the Protection of Civilians agenda, not only sexual violence in conflict, but also the differential impacts of armed conflict on women and girls and other groups that face gender-based discrimination and violence. Their voices must be heard and their needs addressed.

As the lead of the Call to Action on Protection from Gender-Based Violence in Emergencies, Canada urges the Council to work together to drive real progress on prevention, mitigation, and response to GBV at the global level and in the field.

As local communities are first affected by conflict, the Council should encourage the establishment of local-level alert networks, conflict-resolution, mediation, and reconciliation.

Canada urges the Council to preserve humanitarian space in counter-terrorism contexts in accordance with International Humanitarian Law, International Human Rights Law, and International Refugee Law.

The Protection of Civilians agenda must also be consistently applied to peacekeeping.

This means adequate resourcing of peacekeeping missions, including for Protection of Civilians advisors, as well as advisors for Child Protection, Women’s Protection, and gender.

It also means promoting best practices in performance and accountability in implementation of Protection of Civilians in peacekeeping operations.

Madam/Mr. President

The next twenty years will continue to test the international community’s commitment to the Protection of Civilians agenda.

We thank Indonesia for holding today’s debate and providing the Protection of Civilians agenda the attention it merits.

You can count on Canada to continue to be a steadfast advocate for respect for International Humanitarian Law, with civilians at the centre of our protection efforts.

Thank you.