Reports by Stian Kjeksrud
This document aims to complement existing UN POC guidance with a threat-based approach to protec... more This document aims to complement existing UN POC guidance with a threat-based approach to protection of civilians, focusing on the specific challenges military commanders are confronted with on the ground. A key characteristic of current operational environments is that civilians are being deliberately targeted by armed actors. In some cases, such attacks on civilians result from specific perpetrator strategies involving the extermination or expelling of entire groups or communities. However, in most cases, armed groups, abusive authorities and rogue militias use violence against civilians to survive, to undermine political opposition, or to secure economic rewards and other benefits. Different types of perpetrators and rationale often co-exist within the same area of operation. Distinguishing between different types of threats and the potential role and utility of military force is therefore essential to improve UN military efforts to protect civilians. The threat-based approach should help UN military commanders, planners and practitioners at all levels of the UN system to enhance their understanding of how the military component of a UN peace operation could use force more effectively to protect civilians from different types of physical threats.
This document aims to complement existing UN POC guidance with a threat-based approach to protect... more This document aims to complement existing UN POC guidance with a threat-based approach to protection of civilians, focusing on the specific challenges military commanders are confronted with on the ground. A key characteristic of current operational environments is that civilians are being deliberately targeted by armed actors. In some cases, such attacks on civilians result from specific perpetrator strategies involving the extermination or expelling of entire groups or communities. However, in most cases, armed groups, abusive authorities and rogue militias use violence against civilians to survive, to undermine political opposition, or to secure economic rewards and other benefits. Different types of perpetrators and rationale often co-exist within the same area of operation. Distinguishing between different types of threats and the potential role and utility of military force is therefore essential to improve UN military efforts to protect civilians. The threat-based approach should help UN military commanders, planners and practitioners at all levels of the UN system to enhance their understanding of how the military component of a UN peace operation could use force more effectively to protect civilians from different types of physical threats.
This report is a practical guide for military staff officers involved in the planning, execution ... more This report is a practical guide for military staff officers involved in the planning, execution and assessment of military operations where protection of civilians is or may become an objective. It aims to help bridge the gap between the importance of protecting civilians in today’s military operations and the lacking ability to do so on the ground. This guide provides guidance on which aspects to consider during different phases of a regular planning process, as well as advice on ‘how’ military forces can be used to protect civilians.
This report provides military practitioners with a comprehensive overview and comparison of curre... more This report provides military practitioners with a comprehensive overview and comparison of current PoC-activities and practises among the most relevant international- and non-governmental organisations. The aim is to contribute towards a clarification of the potential role and purpose of military forces in PoC-operations.
Protection of Civilians (PoC) is no longer limited to the humanitarian community. It has also bec... more Protection of Civilians (PoC) is no longer limited to the humanitarian community. It has also become a key task for military forces in international operations such as in Afghanistan and Libya. This report provides military practitioners with a comprehensive overview and comparison of current PoC-activities and practises among the most relevant international- and non-governmental organisations. The aim is to contribute towards a clarification of the potential role and purpose of military forces in PoC-operations.
The report begins by analyzing and comparing how dominating PoC-discourses among the three major international organisations – the UN, NATO and the EU – shape the type of PoC-concepts that are being developed for the operational and tactical levels. It then moves on to compare mission specific PoC-challenges in three UN missions (MONUSCO, UNMIS and UNAMID), before describing the history and development of PoC in the AU and among the major NGOs.
The report shows that the UN is at the forefront of developing PoC-concepts, guidelines and training tools. The organisation has come to realize that the (in)ability to protect affects not only each mission, but the legitimacy of the UN as a whole. The UN‘s approach to protection is therefore primarily direct, in that protection of civilians is seen as an end in itself. However, many of the recently developed concepts are not well attuned to military needs and planning processes.
NATO‘s approach to protection is first and foremost indirect, as it forms part of a larger strategy where the primary goal is to either counter or support an insurgency. Unlike the UN, EU and AU, NATO is not in the process of developing specific strategies, concepts or policies on protection of civilians. A weakness of NATO‘s (wanting) approach to PoC is its focus on how not to kill, rather than on how to directly protect. Another challenge for NATO in terms of providing sustainable protection is the lack of civilian capacities.
The EU has evolved quite far in its acknowledgement of the importance of PoC, but the organisation has few lessons learned to build on from its own operations. One of the most prominent differences between the EU and the UN regards the willingness to use military force. The EU sees ‗robustness‘ as a precondition for effective PoC, and EU member states are generally more favourable to this approach.
The AU has only recently commenced with the development of PoC-concepts- and strategies. While the AU has developed PoC-guidelines, no AU mission has to date developed a protection of civilians strategy. It is likely, however, that PoC will come to feature strongly in the planning for new operations in the AU context.
As protection actors, NGOs collectively have a tremendous impact on the protection agenda. Part of this influence is derived from the sheer size and spending power of the NGO community. There is of course no single philosophy or approach to protection that is universally embraced by the entire NGO community, which constitutes a wide range of actors.
Denne rapporten presenterer seks nye scenarioklasser for internasjonale operasjoner med operative... more Denne rapporten presenterer seks nye scenarioklasser for internasjonale operasjoner med operative krav for fremtidens landmakt. Hensikten er å styrke grunnlaget for Forsvarets langtidsplanlegging og stimulere til debatt rundt hvilken rolle en småstat som Norge kan og bør spille i fremtidige militære operasjoner utenfor landets grenser.
This report investigates how the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in th... more This report investigates how the UN mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC) in the period 2009–2010 developed and implemented a series of cross-cutting initiatives to protect the civilian population against armed attacks, sexual violence and other human rights violations. The report looks into how these initiatives have been applied in the field, and how they are perceived by those implementing them. From this review of protection initiatives, three recurring issues are discerned and discussed as particularly relevant for military contributions to protection activities: (i) the need for civil-military cooperation; (ii) the use of intelligence; and (iii) the use of military force.
This report takes a broad and critical view on current UN peace operations with the aim of analyz... more This report takes a broad and critical view on current UN peace operations with the aim of analyzing conceptual, military, and political gaps in the UN’s approach to the use of force. It presents critical conceptual developments that have been influential in shaping the UN’s approach to the use of force and gives an overview of current characteristics of UN peace operations. In addition it discusses the limitations of the UN as a military enforcer and touches upon dilemmas concerning legitimacy and the use of force under UN auspices.
Book chapters by Stian Kjeksrud
Brings together analysis of all relevant legal frameworks for the protection of civilians in conf... more Brings together analysis of all relevant legal frameworks for the protection of civilians in conflict, including humanitarian law, refugee law, and human rights. Contextualises this legal and normative analysis within the realities of politics, diplomacy and practice, setting out the practical impact and limitations of international law. Promotes a holistic understanding of the protection of civilians by incorporating insights from history, philosophy, politics, and diplomacy. Illuminates a number of current controversies, such as those surrounding the use of force by UN peacekeepers and humanitarian intervention
Brings together analysis of all relevant legal frameworks for the protection of civilians in conf... more Brings together analysis of all relevant legal frameworks for the protection of civilians in conflict, including humanitarian law, refugee law, and human rights. Contextualises this legal and normative analysis within the realities of politics, diplomacy and practice, setting out the practical impact and limitations of international law. Promotes a holistic understanding of the protection of civilians by incorporating insights from history, philosophy, politics, and diplomacy. Illuminates a number of current controversies, such as those surrounding the use of force by UN peacekeepers and humanitarian intervention
I denne boken søker vi svar på spørsmål som: Hva kan forklare Norges militære hamskifte utover på... more I denne boken søker vi svar på spørsmål som: Hva kan forklare Norges militære hamskifte utover på 2000-tallet? Hvorfor er militær synlighet og «tellende styrkebidrag» så viktig i internasjonale operasjoner? Hvilke erfaringer og lærdommer har de norske styrkene trukket? Og hva er konsekvensene for Norge og hjemmeforsvaret? Med ulike innfallsvinkler analyserer bidragsyterne Norges internasjonale operasjoner i lys av innenriks- og utenrikspolitiske forhold, og fanger opp de operative utfordringene som er gjort i de ulike forsvarsgrenene.
The Protection of Civilians (PoC) is now the central concern of most UN peacekeeping missions. St... more The Protection of Civilians (PoC) is now the central concern of most UN peacekeeping missions. Starting with an overview of the evolution of PoC in UN peacekeeping, this book offers comparisons and in-depth studies of protection mandates in UN peacekeeping missions in Africa, focusing on the challenges that emerge from this interface between the policy and practice of protection. The volume shows how various understandings are implemented. Showcasing this heterogeneity of understandings and practices is central to any future effort at refining the policy tools available to those seeking to implement a protection mandate. Challenges remain, both at the conceptual level and in the practical implementation of PoC, including the practical challenge of implementing a concern rather than a clear policy on the one hand, and the conceptual challenge of how to best conceive of protection. Based on reviews of how PoC has been implemented in UN peacekeeping, the book explains that, however PoC is defined at headquarters' level, successful implementation must rest on an understanding of the limits and challenges encountered in the mission on the ground. (Series: The United Nations and Global Change - Vol. 7)
Denne boken springer ut av en overbevisning om at Forsvarets deltagelse i freds- og stabilisering... more Denne boken springer ut av en overbevisning om at Forsvarets deltagelse i freds- og stabiliseringsoperasjoner reiser viktige spørsmål som fortjener mer oppmerksomhet: Hvordan forene mål og virkemidler i komplekse freds- og stabiliseringsoperasjoner? Hvordan løser ulike internasjonale aktører denne oppgaven? Hva er konsekvensene for Forsvaret? Med strategibegrepet som bindeledd diskuterer forfatterne målene, virkemidlene og de viktigste aktørene i dagens operasjoner: FN, Nato, EU og USA.
Other publications by Stian Kjeksrud
United Nations Protection of Civilians Operations, 2019
The United Nations Protection of Civilians Operations dataset (UNPOCO) captures 200 military prot... more The United Nations Protection of Civilians Operations dataset (UNPOCO) captures 200 military protection operations at the operational/tactical level across ten UN missions in Africa from 2000 to 2017. The data is mainly captured from UNSG reports to the UN Security Council. https://doi.org/10.18710/FZAVCN
FNs fredsbevarende operasjoner står overfor store utfordringer. 67 år etter den første FN-operasj... more FNs fredsbevarende operasjoner står overfor store utfordringer. 67 år etter den første FN-operasjonen ble opprettet er de i dag flere og mer komplekse enn noensinne. Artikkelen tar utgangspunkt i dagens bilde og utleder tanker om hvordan fremtidens FN-operasjoner kan se ut, med hovedvekt på militære utfordringer.
Papers by Stian Kjeksrud
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Reports by Stian Kjeksrud
The report begins by analyzing and comparing how dominating PoC-discourses among the three major international organisations – the UN, NATO and the EU – shape the type of PoC-concepts that are being developed for the operational and tactical levels. It then moves on to compare mission specific PoC-challenges in three UN missions (MONUSCO, UNMIS and UNAMID), before describing the history and development of PoC in the AU and among the major NGOs.
The report shows that the UN is at the forefront of developing PoC-concepts, guidelines and training tools. The organisation has come to realize that the (in)ability to protect affects not only each mission, but the legitimacy of the UN as a whole. The UN‘s approach to protection is therefore primarily direct, in that protection of civilians is seen as an end in itself. However, many of the recently developed concepts are not well attuned to military needs and planning processes.
NATO‘s approach to protection is first and foremost indirect, as it forms part of a larger strategy where the primary goal is to either counter or support an insurgency. Unlike the UN, EU and AU, NATO is not in the process of developing specific strategies, concepts or policies on protection of civilians. A weakness of NATO‘s (wanting) approach to PoC is its focus on how not to kill, rather than on how to directly protect. Another challenge for NATO in terms of providing sustainable protection is the lack of civilian capacities.
The EU has evolved quite far in its acknowledgement of the importance of PoC, but the organisation has few lessons learned to build on from its own operations. One of the most prominent differences between the EU and the UN regards the willingness to use military force. The EU sees ‗robustness‘ as a precondition for effective PoC, and EU member states are generally more favourable to this approach.
The AU has only recently commenced with the development of PoC-concepts- and strategies. While the AU has developed PoC-guidelines, no AU mission has to date developed a protection of civilians strategy. It is likely, however, that PoC will come to feature strongly in the planning for new operations in the AU context.
As protection actors, NGOs collectively have a tremendous impact on the protection agenda. Part of this influence is derived from the sheer size and spending power of the NGO community. There is of course no single philosophy or approach to protection that is universally embraced by the entire NGO community, which constitutes a wide range of actors.
Book chapters by Stian Kjeksrud
Other publications by Stian Kjeksrud
Papers by Stian Kjeksrud
The report begins by analyzing and comparing how dominating PoC-discourses among the three major international organisations – the UN, NATO and the EU – shape the type of PoC-concepts that are being developed for the operational and tactical levels. It then moves on to compare mission specific PoC-challenges in three UN missions (MONUSCO, UNMIS and UNAMID), before describing the history and development of PoC in the AU and among the major NGOs.
The report shows that the UN is at the forefront of developing PoC-concepts, guidelines and training tools. The organisation has come to realize that the (in)ability to protect affects not only each mission, but the legitimacy of the UN as a whole. The UN‘s approach to protection is therefore primarily direct, in that protection of civilians is seen as an end in itself. However, many of the recently developed concepts are not well attuned to military needs and planning processes.
NATO‘s approach to protection is first and foremost indirect, as it forms part of a larger strategy where the primary goal is to either counter or support an insurgency. Unlike the UN, EU and AU, NATO is not in the process of developing specific strategies, concepts or policies on protection of civilians. A weakness of NATO‘s (wanting) approach to PoC is its focus on how not to kill, rather than on how to directly protect. Another challenge for NATO in terms of providing sustainable protection is the lack of civilian capacities.
The EU has evolved quite far in its acknowledgement of the importance of PoC, but the organisation has few lessons learned to build on from its own operations. One of the most prominent differences between the EU and the UN regards the willingness to use military force. The EU sees ‗robustness‘ as a precondition for effective PoC, and EU member states are generally more favourable to this approach.
The AU has only recently commenced with the development of PoC-concepts- and strategies. While the AU has developed PoC-guidelines, no AU mission has to date developed a protection of civilians strategy. It is likely, however, that PoC will come to feature strongly in the planning for new operations in the AU context.
As protection actors, NGOs collectively have a tremendous impact on the protection agenda. Part of this influence is derived from the sheer size and spending power of the NGO community. There is of course no single philosophy or approach to protection that is universally embraced by the entire NGO community, which constitutes a wide range of actors.