week 8 Protection

Summary

This video script explores the evolving concept of humanitarian protection, from its historical roots in social work to its contemporary applications in international law and crisis intervention. It delves into the complexities of protection, including its definition, the limitations of international protection laws, and the controversial Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine. The script highlights tensions between advocating for broad, population-level protection and providing localized support to individuals. It also discusses the operational challenges of the UN’s cluster system and the emerging 'triple nexus' framework that combines humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts. The result is a comprehensive examination of both the theory and practice of protection in humanitarian work.

Takeaways

• 😀 Humanitarian protection is a concept with historical depth, not an immutable term, and its meaning has evolved over time, often linked to social work and academic practices.
• 😀 Early humanitarian protection, as defined by Hertha Kruss, focused on providing basic needs such as shelter and food to prevent death from starvation and exposure, aimed at entire populations.
• 😀 Protection has two dimensions: protecting entire populations from basic harm (e.g., food, shelter) and enhancing the dignity and quality of life for individuals in difficult circumstances, such as prisoners of war.
• 😀 In the 1980s, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) expanded protection to include defense from external violence (e.g., shelling) and internal violence (e.g., camp violence, domestic abuse).
• 😀 Protection during humanitarian crises has a social dimension, addressing not only physical safety but also trauma, domestic violence, and other societal issues within displaced populations.
• 😀 The 'Responsibility to Protect' (R2P) doctrine, established in 2005, is controversial as it links humanitarian aid with international intervention, sometimes leading to military actions and regime changes.
• 😀 The implementation of R2P has been problematic, with some interventions, such as in Libya, criticized for causing unintended long-term chaos and suffering.
• 😀 International protection laws, such as the 1951 Refugee Convention, are often incomplete, with many countries not fully committing to asylum protections or offering temporary, conditional protections that put people in a state of limbo.
• 😀 The United Nations' Global Protection Cluster system brings together various agencies to coordinate humanitarian protection efforts, but it faces criticisms of bureaucracy and inefficiency.
• 😀 The emerging 'Triple Nexus' model integrates humanitarian aid, development work, and peacebuilding efforts, aiming to address the root causes of violence and insecurity while providing immediate relief to displaced persons.
• 😀 The Triple Nexus approach seeks to align operational and policy choices across international peacebuilding, development, and humanitarian sectors, with the goal of creating long-term solutions to crises.

Q & A

What does the speaker aim to achieve in this discussion on humanitarian protection?

The speaker intends to frame critical concepts related to humanitarian protection and explore how these concepts apply in real-world humanitarian practices, rather than discussing the principles of protection in detail.

How does the speaker define protection in the context of humanitarian work?

The speaker outlines two primary strands of protection: the provision of basic needs such as shelter and food to ensure survival, and the improvement of individuals' living conditions, including dignity, particularly in environments like refugee camps or prisoner welfare.

What historical figure does the speaker reference to explain early concepts of protection, and what was her contribution?

The speaker references Hertha Cruss, a Jewish social worker who contributed to early humanitarian protection theories through her 1943-1944 book, 'International Relief in Action'. Her work emphasized the importance of providing basic survival needs and improving the conditions of vulnerable populations, including prisoners of war.

What is the difference between protection for a population and protection for individuals?

Protection for a population refers to providing general assistance to entire groups, such as a refugee population, whereas protection for individuals focuses on specific, personalized aid, like legal counsel or assistance for survivors of violence.

How did the concept of protection evolve in the 1980s, particularly within UNHCR’s work?

In the 1980s, protection expanded to include safeguarding refugees from external violence (e.g., shelling) and internal violence (e.g., brigandry, domestic abuse) in refugee camps. Social protection also became important, addressing issues like domestic violence and trauma.

What was the 'illusion of protection' during the conflicts in the Balkans and Rwanda?

The 'illusion of protection' refers to the failure of international agencies, like the UN, to effectively protect designated 'safe areas' in conflict zones such as Bosnia and Rwanda, where peacekeepers were unable to prevent atrocities like genocide.

What is the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine, and what are its three pillars?

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a doctrine established in 2005 that outlines three pillars: (1) the responsibility of states to protect their populations from mass atrocities; (2) the international community’s responsibility to assist states in fulfilling this role; and (3) the obligation of the international community to intervene if a state fails to protect its population.

What are the main criticisms of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) doctrine?

Critics of R2P argue that it can lead to military interventions under the guise of humanitarian aid, as seen in the 2011 intervention in Libya. Furthermore, R2P is criticized for being applied inconsistently and being potentially used as a tool for geopolitical interests rather than purely humanitarian objectives.

How does the UN’s cluster system work in humanitarian protection, and what are its weaknesses?

The UN’s cluster system brings together various agencies to coordinate specific areas of humanitarian aid, such as legal protection or gender-based violence. While it offers a structured framework for collaboration, it is criticized for being bureaucratic and overly focused on data collection rather than directly addressing immediate needs.

What does the speaker mean by the 'triple nexus' of humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding efforts?

The 'triple nexus' refers to the integration of humanitarian aid, development work, and peacebuilding efforts to address both the immediate needs and root causes of conflict. This approach aims to create more sustainable solutions by aligning international, local, and multilateral interventions.