Protection of Civilians

The protection of civilians and the commitment to upholding international humanitarian law are longstanding Austrian foreign policy priorities.

During Austria’s Presidency of the UN Security Council in 2009, Austria sponsored resolution 1894 on the protection of civilians. Implementing key aspects of the resolution, the Defence Ministry designed an interdisciplinary training programme, in cooperation with the foreign and interior ministries as well as the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ASPR), on the protection of civilians for senior staff in peacekeeping operations.

Since 2012 this course along with a UN “train the trainers” course on the protection of civilians, are held regularly at the Austrian Study Centre for Peace and Conflict Resolution (ÖSFK) in Stadtschlaining.

Austria actively participates in the open debates of the UN Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict through national and EU statements. Austria is also a member of the relevant UN Group of Friends in New York.

Austria puts special emphasis on the protection of civilians from the use of explosive weapons in populated areas. In cooperation with other countries, the UN, and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) Austria is working on the approval of a political declaration that includes a strong implementation mechanism (EWIPA). Together with a core group, Austria launched the Political Declaration on EWIPA, which was adopted by 83 states under the Irish Chairmanship in Dublin on 18 November 2022. The fundament for this engagement was put in place during an international conference on the protection of civilians in urban conflicts organised by Austria in 2019.