Security Council Holds Open Debate on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict

Greece, which holds the Council’s rotating Presidency for May, is convening the meeting, to be chaired by George Gerapetritis, its Minister for Foreign Affairs. 

Tom Fletcher, Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator; Sima Bahous, Under-Secretary-General and UN-Women Executive Director; Mirjana Spoljaric Egger, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC); and Janti Soeripto, President and Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children United States, will brief. 

The concept highlights the changing nature of contemporary armed conflicts, marked by the widespread use of explosive weapons in populated areas, the deployment of new military technologies, cyberoperations and the increasing prevalence of misinformation and disinformation. These developments have compounded the risks to civilians and posed mounting challenges to humanitarian access and the safety of humanitarian, UN, and media personnel.

The President’s concept note (document S/2025/301) for the meeting poses several questions to guide the discussion, including:  How can the Security Council and UN Member States strengthen compliance with and implementation of Council resolutions pertaining to protection of civilians?  How does the changing nature of conflict impact civilians, especially the most vulnerable groups such as women and children?  How can the UN system and Member States address the targeting of civilians performing protected functions in armed conflict, including humanitarian and UN personnel and journalists?

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