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Abstract
The end of the Cold War saw a proliferation of armed conflicts characterised by systematic violence and mass atrocities against civilians. Parties to these armed conflicts often directly and deliberately target civilians, using terror and violence (including the killing, rape, and mass displacement of civilian populations) as a premeditated tactic of war. Despite the renewed efforts of the UN Security Council in the post-Cold War period, which led to the adoption of resolutions authorising interventions in sovereign states to protect civilians, parties to armed conflicts continue to target civilians in violation of the international legal framework for the protection of civilians in armed conflicts, including international humanitarian law, human rights law, refugee law and international criminal law. To address this problem, the concept of Protection of Civilians in armed conflict (POC) was developed through Security Council practice.
This thesis examines the development of POC through Security Council thematic and country-specific practice. The analysis includes the identification of challenges to the protection of civilians in armed conflicts and how the UNSC has sought to address these challenges using its powers under the UN Charter. This thesis will make a significant and original contribution to the understanding of the content and legal status of Security Council POC practice and the relevance of this practice to the development of the international legal framework for protecting civilians in armed conflict.