Protection of Civilians Week 2026

In May 2026, the IHL Centre participated in the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Protection of Civilians (PoC) Week in New York, joining humanitarian, diplomatic and civil society partners to discuss practical ways to strengthen the protection of civilians affected by armed conflict.

Throughout the week, the IHL Centre contributed to discussions on how international humanitarian law (IHL) can be used more effectively to prevent harm, improve humanitarian access and support evidence-based advocacy in conflict settings.

Below, Dr. Joshua Joseph Niyo (Head of Unit (Africa) and Senior Legal Adviser) shares his key reflections on the week.

The full recording of the official side event sponsored by the IHL Centre on "Humanitarian Diplomacy for the Protection of Civilians: Mobilizing Political Will in an Era of Constraints" is available here.

The joint civil society statement calling for greater respect for IHL, endorsed by the IHL Centre, is available for download here: