Strengthening civilian protection in armed conflict

That this House notes the publication of the UN Secretary-General’s latest Annual Report on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict, calling on both states and non-state armed actors to do more to protect civilians in conflict and promote real accountability for violations; also notes with regret the report’s finding that last year civilians again made up 90 per cent of those killed and injured when explosive weapons were used in populated areas, resulting in devastating impacts on critical civilian infrastructure, education, livelihoods, and food and water security; is disturbed by the report’s finding of a 42 per cent increase in incidents involving attacks on hospitals, medical workers and transport compared with 2018, particularly in light of the current worldwide Covid-19 public health emergency; believes that protection strategies designed with local communities, including women and girls and people with disabilities, ultimately better reflect local protection needs; urges the Government, further to the Annual Report, to ensure that civilian protection is embedded as a top-line priority across UK domestic and international policy, including by supporting a Political Declaration to avoid the use of explosive weapons with wide area effects in populated areas, establishing specific capabilities to track, analyse, respond to and learn from incidents of civilian harm, and helping neutral humanitarian actors to reach all civilians in need in conflict-affected areas; and further calls on the Government to help realise the UN Secretary-General’s goal of a global ceasefire.