Protection of Civilians Week 2026

Monday, 18 May 2026

Dialogue to de-escalate: How military peacekeepers protect civilians through dialogue and engagement 

8:30 – 10:00 am EDT 
Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 15 May

In UN peacekeeping, the military plays a vital role in the protection of civilians across all three tiers of the PoC concept – dialogue and engagement, provision of physical protection, and the establishment of a protective environment. While military contributions to physical protection are most widely recognized, the critical role of military personnel in dialogue and engagement for protection is under-recognized and under-explored. This side event will examine the practical contributions of military peacekeepers to dialogue and engagement for PoC, bringing together Member States, UN officials, and peace operations experts to share mission-based examples and identify common challenges. It aims to strengthen understanding of an integrated approach to PoC mandate implementation and contribute to ongoing efforts to ensure that UN peace operations are responsive and capable of delivering on the imperative of protecting civilians. 

Roundtable on protecting civilians in peace enforcement settings: The AU PoC Policy and the realities of high-intensity conflict peacekeeping 

10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT 
Permanent Observer Mission of the African Union to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 15 May 

This roundtable will examine how the African Union’s PoC Policy can be applied in high-intensity peace enforcement settings where threats are acute and operational constraints are significant. It will explore the practical implications of the AU’s four-pillar PoC framework within complex, kinetic environments. The discussion will also assess how partnerships, including AU–UN cooperation under UNSCR 2719, can better support effective civilian protection amid evolving conflict dynamics and resource constraints. 

Between norms and reality – Advancing the UN Security Council's protection agenda at a moment of global disruption 

1:15 – 2:45 pm EDT 
Permanent Mission of Austria 
RSVP here until 14 May 

This side event examines the evolution of the UN Security Council’s protection of civilians' agenda in the context of shifting conflict dynamics and rising civilian harm. It will explore how technological, climatic, and geopolitical developments are reshaping patterns of harm and testing the effectiveness of existing response tools across peacekeeping, sanctions, and humanitarian action. The event will also feature the launch of a new thematic study on PoC by Security Council Report.

The human cost of drone warfare: Technology and the protection of civilians in conflict 

3:15 – 4:45 pm EDT 
TBD 
On invitation only 

The rapid proliferation of unmanned aerial vehicles, including systems incorporating artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomous functions, is reshaping conflict dynamics and posing growing risks to civilians, civilian objects and humanitarian operations. This event aims to deepen understanding of the protection challenges and potential mitigation opportunities associated with drone use in armed conflict, clarify the roles and responsibilities of key actors, and identify practical recommendations to strengthen the protection of civilians. The session will include a scenario-based simulation and a structured debrief, featuring humanitarian, legal, policy and technical experts to ground the discussion in operational realities.

Enabling the Protection of Civilians in a time of crisis 

5:30: – 7:00 pm EDT 
Delegates Dining Room 
On invitation only 

The first day of PoC Week 2026 concludes with a high-level discussion bringing together senior leaders to address the urgent challenges facing the protection of civilians amid escalating conflicts, weakened respect for international law, and mounting pressure on the multilateral system. As reforms and budget constraints will reshape the multilateral system, the discussion aims to identify key political and operational actions needed to sustain effective and credible protection of civilians in a time of crisis. 

Tuesday, 19 May 2026 

From reset to results: Field-driven collective humanitarian diplomacy to defend resolution 2417 and protect civilians from conflict-induced hunger 

8:30 – 10:00 am EDT 
Permanent Mission of Denmark to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 15 May

With UN Security Council Resolution 2417 (2018) as its organizing framework, this side event will spotlight how armed conflict fuels food insecurity and malnutrition, using real field examples to illustrate the gap between legal standards and operational realities. Connecting then to the idea of collective humanitarian diplomacy, discussions will focus centre upon ways that the PoC from conflict-induced hunger can be strengthened, with the support of Member States and regional organizations, despite the unprecedented challenges and constraints facing the humanitarian community today. 

Closing the gap: Ten years of resolution 2286 and the protection of the medical mission 

10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT 
UNHQ, CR 11

On 3 May 2026, the international community marks the 10th anniversary of United Nations Security Council Resolution 2286 (2016), which unequivocally condemned attacks against medical personnel, facilities and transport in situations of armed conflict and called upon all parties to comply with their obligations under international humanitarian law. The event will aim to take stock of progress made since the adoption of the resolution in 2016 and to translate the recent expert-level discussions into concrete commitments and momentum for action among a wider group of UN Member States. 

Humanitarian diplomacy for the protection of civilians: Mobilizing political will in an era of constraints 

1:15 – 2:45 pm EDT 
UNHQ CR 11 
RSVP here until 15 May 

The event will examine humanitarian diplomacy as a practical and strategic tool for strengthening the protection of civilians amid geopolitical fragmentation, shrinking humanitarian space and severe financial constraints. It will focus on how diplomatic leverage, political relationships and multilateral processes can be used to uphold International Humanitarian Law, secure humanitarian access and translate political engagement into field-level protection outcomes. Participants will identify actionable entry points for Member States and partners to mobilize political will and advance concrete commitments in support of civilian protection. 

Protecting civilians in armed conflict shaped by use of AI and autonomous weapons 

3:15 – 4:45 pm EDT 
Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 15 May 

This side event examines the growing integration of artificial intelligence into the use of force and its implications for the protection of civilians. It will focus on AI-enabled decision support systems in targeting and the development of autonomous weapons systems, highlighting emerging challenges related to accountability, human control, and the capacity to document and respond to civilian harm. The discussion will also consider what rules and governance approaches may be required to ensure protection of civilians in this context. 

Wednesday, 20 May 2026 

Centering civilian agency and community-led protection in an era of institutional constraints and austerity 

8:30 – 10:00 am EDT 
Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 18 May 

As UN institutional capacity contracts through budget cuts, mission drawdowns, and reduced donor engagement, the civilians most at risk are bearing the heaviest consequences. This event centers the people and grassroots strategies that sustain civilian protection even as international actors step back. Through firsthand testimonies, case study discussions, and a short panel, it asks what Member States, UN agencies, and humanitarian actors can do to meaningfully recognize and resource locally led protection.  

Protecting the protectors – Centering the protection of humanitarian personnel through the reset 

1:15 – 2:45 pm EDT 
UNHQ, CR 7 
RSVP here until 14 May 

The event will consider concrete measures that can be undertaken to strengthen the protection of humanitarian personnel by centering on the Declaration for the Protection of Humanitarian Personnel and reinforcing respect for International Humanitarian Law, including UN Security Council Resolution 2730. It will focus on how Member States can translate political commitments into practical action to enhance adherence to International Humanitarian Law, bolster accountability, and support ongoing transformation efforts so humanitarian workers can operate safely in high‑risk environments. Bringing together diverse actors across the humanitarian system, the event aims to ground these commitments in operational realities and drive tangible improvements in protection on the ground. 

PoC week through the arts: Artists from conflict on protection, pressure and survival 

6:00 – 8:00 pm EDT 
Scandinavia House (Volvo House) 
RSVP here until18 May 

At a moment when tightening restrictions and shrinking budgets are pushing conflict-affected voices further from the rooms where decisions are made, this evening event brings together poetry, short film, music, and painting to create a space where firsthand accounts can be heard and centered through art. Drawing on the UN's longstanding recognition of art as a tool for peace, the event shows that there is still room, even under constraint, for the stories of the people the international protection system exists to serve. 

Thursday, 21 May 2026 

Strengthening the protection of children from the humanitarian consequences of the use of explosive weapons in populated areas

8:30 – 10:00 am EDT 
TBD 
RSVP here until 18 May 

The side-event will provide a forum for considering the severe harm that the use of explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA) is causing for children and identifying ways in which stakeholders can make use of EWIPA Political Declaration, the Children and Armed Conflict agenda and other tools to protect children and other civilians in a period marked by increasing disregard for International Humanitarian Law. 

Reaffirming commitment to the anti-personnel mine ban convention for the protection of civilians 

10:30 am – 12:00 pm EDT 
Permanent Mission of Norway 
RSVP here until 19 May

Anti‑personnel mines continue to cause severe and long‑term harm to civilians, including a disproportionate impact on children, despite the progress achieved under the Anti‑Personnel Mine Ban Convention. Recent developments challenging the convention’s universality and implementation highlight the need for sustained attention to uphold this essential humanitarian norm. This side-event will reaffirm commitment to the convention, refocus discussions on the protection of civilians, and help generate renewed urgency and multilateral dialogue to prevent and reduce the humanitarian consequences of these weapons. 

Upholding the principle of distinction: Protecting civilian objects in armed conflict 

1:15 – 2:45 pm EDT 
Permanent Mission of the State of Kuwait to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 18 May 

The side event focuses on strengthening compliance with International Humanitarian Law, particularly the principle of distinction, to better protect civilians and civilian objects in armed conflict. It highlights the severe humanitarian consequences of attacks on critical infrastructure, such as food systems, water, energy, and digital networks, and examines emerging challenges posed by cyber operations and ICT involvement. The event aims to promote practical measures, shared understanding, and stronger international cooperation to reduce civilian harm, ensure their protection, and safeguard essential services during conflict. 

Water under attack: Protection and humanitarian diplomacy in times of financial contraction, localization and spreading conflicts 

3:15 – 4:45 pm EDT 
Permanent Mission of the Philippines to the United Nations 
RSVP here until 20 May

A side event by the Global Alliance to Spare Water from Armed Conflict will highlight the devastating humanitarian impact of attacks on water and sanitation systems, despite clear protections under UN Security Council Resolution 2573 (2021). Five years on, implementation gaps remain stark, while shrinking funding and reforms risk deprioritizing the provision of essential services, such as water, sanitation and hygiene, with direct and life-threatening consequences for the protection of civilians. The discussion will underscore that in the current challenging context strengthening respect for International Humanitarian Law is more urgent than ever, and humanitarian diplomacy remains an essential means to achieve it. 

Friday, 22 May 2026 

Keeping protection in focus: Emerging research on protection and peace operations 

9:15 am – 12:15 pm EDT 
International Peace Institute 
On invitation only 

The co-sponsoring partners will host a closed-door, hybrid workshop on protection and peace operations. The workshop will highlight the findings of a series of eight issue briefs published by the International Peace Institute, which cover a diverse range of issues regarding protection by UN and UN-supported peace operations. The side-event will identify key recommendations to strengthen protection by peace operations and inform ongoing policy discussions on the future of peace operations. 

Inclusive justice: Advancing an intersectional approach for all survivors of sexual violence 

11:00 am – 12:30 pm EDT 
The Delegation of the European Union to the United Nations  
RSVP here until 20 May 

This event aims to raise awareness and action on the need for an intersectional and gender-sensitive approach in developing, designing and implementing access to justice mechanisms for victims/survivors of sexual violence. In the current context of intensifying armed conflict, protracted crises and widespread disregard of international law, such an approach will ensure that nobody is left behind and comprehensive measures for accountability are established. The event will have a specific focus on men and boys, including those who face intersecting discrimination and will showcase guidance and good practice developed by civil society and member states in improving justice responses for these populations in situations of crisis.