Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
POC RISKS
a . PoC Risk Contexts . PoC is a major concern in four general risk contexts that are not mutually exclusive . The first is armed conflict including war between nation states and internal civil wars , insurgencies , and counterinsurgencies . The second risk context is mass atrocities , or widespread and often systematic acts of violence against civilians by state or non-state armed groups , including killing , causing serious bodily or mental harm , or deliberately inflicting conditions of life that cause serious bodily or mental harm . The third PoC risk context is poor governance resulting in large-scale violations of civilian physical well-being and human rights . Finally , a fourth context is violent instability manifested by revenge , power struggles , widespread unrest , intercommunal conflict , or sectarian conflict .
b . PoC Risk Types . Certain types of PoC risks commonly occur in the different contexts . These include sexual and gender-based violence , impeded access to basic needs and services , risks to children , human trafficking , risks to displaced persons , targeted violence , predatory violence , collateral violence , terrorism , and other risk types . 9
c . PoC Risks are discussed further in Chapter 2 under Task 4 — Understand Civilian Vulnerabilities and Threats .
POC AND THE MILITARY FORCE
a . PoC is an important consideration across the spectrum of military operations shown in Figure 1-2 . Whether the military force is an impartial actor ( such as during peace operations ) or a party to the conflict ( such as during armed conflict , including counterinsurgency ), leaders will likely have to address PoC . Depending upon the situation , PoC may be the primary purpose of a mission or one of a mission ’ s many supporting tasks or mandated objectives . Military forces must conduct operations in accordance with LOAC / IHL and , where applicable , international human rights law ( IHRL ). 10
► Figure 1.2 : Spectrum of Military Operations ◄
b . Military forces should consider PoC in three general contexts , the first of which is a range of domestic or international peacetime military activities . The second is peace operations in
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Other risks include food and water insecurity , health impacts , economic impacts , societal impacts , environmental impacts , organized crime , corruption , property disputes , border tensions , and regional instability .
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Some countries view IHRL as the applicable body of law for situations outside of armed conflict . Additionally , some countries interpret IHL as sufficient during armed conflict . See Annex F for a discussion of legal considerations .
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