Unarmed Civilian Protection (UCP) is a system of practices for the direct protection of civilians, for violence reduction, and for supporting local peace infrastructures. UCP is an emerging discipline, currently practiced in areas of conflict such as Colombia, South Sudan, Palestine, the United States, Iraq, and the Mindanao region of the Philippines. In 2015, the High-Level Independent Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (HIPPO) asserted that “Unarmed strategies must be at the forefront of UN efforts to protect civilians.” Always nonviolent and nonpartisan, UCP practitioners support local actors as they work to address the roots and consequences of violent conflict.
This course is designed around five modules that introduce the principles, objectives, methods, and sources of guidance for UCP. Participants learn through reading the course manual, interacting with online materials, engaging with each other in online discussion forums, and responding to assessments and written assignments.
At completion, students will successfully:
- describe the key principles, objectives, and sources of guidance for UCP;
- analyze a conflict and identify vulnerable populations;
- demonstrate an understanding of the methods of UCP and how they can be adapted and applied to a conflict situation;
- identify key features of an effective UCP implementation plan and exit strategy, with a view toward maximizing the security both of UCP staff and local civilians
