Security Council Expert Group briefed on protection of civilians in Iraq

"On 20 July, the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) briefed the informal Security Council Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians on the issues pertaining to the protection of civilians in Iraq.

On the basis of information received from humanitarian and human rights actors in the field and at the headquarters, OCHA raised the following key protection concerns:

  • The impact of ongoing violence, in particular explosive violence, on civilians, with indiscriminate attacks in populated areas, targeted attacks against religious and ethnic communities, and a recent increase in the number of assassinations of community leaders and individuals who are perceived as supporting the Government;

  • Ongoing human rights violations, including arbitrary arrests and deprivation of liberty targeting perceived opponents, protesters and journalists, as well as torture and intimidation of detainees by members of the security forces operating without civilian oversight;

  • Protection concerns related to displacement, including the need for enhanced efforts towards the achievement of durable solutions for refugees and internally displaced persons, irrespective of when they were displaced, and the need to address property restitution issues in order to create conditions conducive to sustainable returns;

  • The impact of hostilities on children, with children being recruited and used by armed opposition groups, as well as other grave violations committed against children, including killing and maiming;

  • The presence of humanitarian and development actors throughout Iraq, in particular the lack of access to the civilian population, the impact of the US troops withdrawal, and intimidation and attacks against humanitarian workers.

The Security Council's Expert Group on the Protection of Civilians is an informal forum chaired by the United Kingdom that was established at the beginning of 2009, in which OCHA - on behalf of the humanitarian community - brings to the attention of the Security Council current key protection concerns in a particular context on its agenda."