Local civilians are often the first actors to respond to threats against civilians in conflict-affected settings. Long before international peacekeepers or humanitarian actors arrive, communities develop their own unarmed, nonviolent strategies to prevent violence, mitigate harm, and protect vulnerable populations.
In a new International Peace Institute (IPI) issue brief, Rachel Julian and Berit Bliesemann de Guevara draw on Creating Safer Space network findings and the wider literature to examine the role of local civilians in protection of civilians (POC) efforts, focusing on unarmed civilian protection practices that operate alongside—or independently from—UN peacekeeping missions and specialised NGOs. The brief explores how civilians engage in early warning, mediation, negotiation, and protective accompaniment.
As peace operations face transitions, drawdowns, and lighter footprints, the brief raises critical questions about how international actors understand, support, or overlook local civilian protection strategies—and what this means for the future of POC.