The plight of civilians trapped in war is one of the greatest challenges of our times. All agree that providing relief alone is insufficient. The international response must equally focus on measures to provide greater protection to civilians. But what measures? Short of armed peacekeeping, one option is to deploy unarmed international staff - human rights monitors, ceasefire observers, protection staff with humanitarian agencies - who through their presence will deter abuses. To be effective, however, those deployed must pursue proactive strategies to deter abuse, encourage local actors and support reform efforts. This manual describes these strategies. It is the first comprehensive study of these issues, based on hundreds of interviews and an analysis of 9 separate missions, covering a range of institutional mandates.
