Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide, Second Edition Second Edition | Page 24

Protection of Civilians Military Reference Guide
c. Protect Civilians during Operations. Military forces design operations with multiple lines
of effort to conduct offensive, defensive, and stability operations to protect civilians. They require
functional competence in such traditional military areas as movement and maneuver, command
and control, intelligence, fire support, protection, and logistics. Units must have a firm
understanding of the use of force and mission-specific rules of engagement with a focus on PoC
situations. Operations are often conducted in conjunction with or in support of other actors, such
as host-state police forces. While planning, preparing for, and conducting operations, units must
routinely and proactively incorporate PoC considerations, as failure to do so can convey the
message that violence against civilians is acceptable.
Chapter 3, along with several of the annexes in the PoC Military Reference Guide, addresses
these issues further, and also discusses PoC within the context of a variety of military tasks such
as patrolling, establishing outposts, mobile operating bases, cordon and search operations, the
establishment of buffer zones, and noncombatant evacuation operations. This chapter also provides
guidance on how to respond to and mitigate incidents of civilian harm, including civilian casualties
resulting from military operations.
d. Shape a Protective Environment. In addition to understanding and operating within the
environment, military leaders must often help shape it in a manner that enhances PoC. PoC can
often best be achieved with a “comprehensive approach” in which military and nonmilitary actors
use military and nonmilitary means to achieve military and nonmilitary objectives, with the
common understanding that in the long term many of the nonmilitary considerations are the most
important. These shaping efforts are achieved through information activities, 17 engagements with
key leaders and the population, coordination with other actors, and building partner capacity
including within local communities.
The military may be required to support desired outcomes such as a safe and secure
environment, good governance, the rule of law, social well-being, and a sustainable economy.
These outcomes are often related to peace-building and development and usually must be pursued
as parallel, mutually supporting efforts. Failure to achieve these outcomes can result in civilian
harm, or inflame grievances that result in conflict and place civilians at increased risk. Military
forces are primarily involved with establishing a safe and secure environment which, in addition
to improving PoC, is a necessary condition to enable a political settlement, permit a normal life
for civilians, and support the other outcomes which should be the primary responsibility of other
actors. However, to maintain security units must be flexible and in varying degrees may be
required to enable, monitor, or support the other outcomes.
In extreme cases of last resort, military forces may have to assume temporary responsibility
for these other areas. At a minimum, military forces should “do no harm” with respect to the
accomplishment of the desired outcomes. Related programs often include security sector reform
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In the PoC Military Reference Guide, “information activities” promulgate messages, inform audiences, or influence
perceptions reg