Wednesday, 22 May 2013

Skip to main content

UN in your language

Responsibility to Protect

The Responsibility to Protect

Front page box UN Photo Igor Vasilev

The Responsibility to Protect doctrine is the enabling principle that first obligates individual states and then the international community to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. R2P, as it’s commonly known, is a set of principles based on the idea that sovereignty is not a privilege, but a responsibility. R2P was universally endorsed at the 2005 World Summit and then re-affirmed in 2006 by the U.N. In this week’s In Focus we look at the historical background and speak to the UN Special Advisor on R2P, Edward Luck and Alex Vines, Research Director at Chatham House about what R2P means in today’s world. ...   Read more...
Title Filter      Display #  
# Article Title
1 The responsibly to protect – on a case by case basis
2 R2P – A Short History
3 Responsibility to Protect – Two case studies with Alex Vines

3 questions to Edward Luck


Facts:

Definition of the Responsibility to Protect

    • The State carries the primary responsibility for the protection of populations from mass atrocities such as genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

    • The international community has a responsibility to assist States in fulfilling this responsibility.

    • The international community should use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means to protect populations from these crimes. If a State fails to protect its populations or is in fact the perpetrator of crimes, the international community must be prepared to take stronger measures, including the collective use of force through the UN Security Council.