As wars rage across the world, including in Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan and Myanmar, civilians and humanitarian workers are increasingly being targeted. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned in June last year that “The world is failing to live up to its commitments to protect civilians in armed conflict.”

 

This session will focus on the declining effectiveness of enforcement of international humanitarian law and protection of civilians evident in the world at the moment, and seek input from attendees on practical steps the Australian government can take to remedy it.

 

It will begin with an overview of current problems in compliance with international humanitarian law and protection of civilians, laying a base for a shared understanding of the problem. This will be followed with a synopsis of what Australia has already tried, enabling a focus on future strategies. The majority of discussion will focus on what else can be tried by Australia – including how the Australian government can work with a range of actors in achieving these aims.

 

The aim of the session is to generate practical insights and actionable strategies through the collective wisdom and experience of the group. Participants will be challenged to generate ideas for Australian policymakers in a spirit of solidarity and the power of the collective, which will feed directly into consultations being conducted by AP4D for the Australian Civil-Military Centre.

 

This is the first step in a process that will culminate in the production of a practical, future-facing and propositional options paper. There will be opportunity to participate in subsequent discussions. 

 

Speakers:

The Asia-Pacific Development, Diplomacy & Defence Dialogue (AP4D) is a platform for collaboration between the development, diplomacy and defence communities. It combines the skills and experience of each to achieve new insights, develop new ideas and promote strategic collaboration around shared interests. To learn more visit www.asiapacific4d.com.