Report

Protection of Civilians and Access Explainers

Published 29. Apr 2024
l
When civilians are trapped in areas of active conflict, there are often calls for the implementation of measures to improve their protection and maintain or restore their access to humanitarian relief items and essential services. This may include the use of modalities like humanitarian corridors, humanitarian pauses, humanitarian notification systems, evacuations, and safe zones.

While each of these mechanisms can be an important tool under specific circumstances, recent crises have shown that there is not always a full understanding of the operational considerations and risks associated with the mechanisms or an awareness of how they are (or are not) anchored in international law.
 
To address this, NRC has developed a series of explainers that aim to unpack each of these modalities in greater depth. While the explainers are primarily designed for NRC staff, we hope they can also serve as a resource for the broader humanitarian and diplomatic community. Each of the explainers cover:

  • What the mechanism is
  • When and where it might be used
  • The drawbacks and risks
  • What is required to make it successful
  • Other questions for consideration
  • How the mechanism is reflected in international law
  • Examples that can be learned from
  • Further resources

For further information, please contact Caelin Briggs in the NRC Geneva Office.