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Ceasefire submits report to UN Special Rapporteur on killings of older persons in Syria
Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights has submitted a report to the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions, Mr. Morris Tidball-Binz, in response to his call for input on documenting, investigating, and preventing the arbitrary deprivation of life of older persons worldwide. Older persons (any person aged 65
Protection of Civilians Week 2026 Joint civil society statement
Today marks the start of Protection of Civilians Week, bringing together Member States, UN agencies, and civil society to reflect on key challenges and advance solutions to strengthen the protection of civilians in armed conflict. The initiative takes place alongside the annual UN Security Council Open Debate on Protection of
UK MoD review recommends strengthening procedures on civilian harm mitigation and response
A Ministry of Defence (MoD) review of the UK’s civilian harm framework has recommended new procedures to track and investigate harm to civilians in UK operations, strengthened use of open-source intelligence and re-instating mechanisms for making amends where civilians suffer death, injury or damage to property. The review reveals that
Mass civilian harm the only certainty in war between US/Israel and Iran
The only certainty in the rapidly escalating conflict between the United States/ Israel and Iran is civilian harm on a mass scale, said Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights in a statement. With the scope, duration and objectives of the conflict still unclear, reported civilian casualties are nearing 1,000 after just
UK military has no comprehensive system to mitigate or respond to civilian harm caused by its own operations
As the UK increases its defence spending and readiness for military deployment, it needs to be well prepared to mitigate and respond to civilian harm. Yet today, it has no comprehensive system to do so, instead taking an ad hoc approach. The laws of war are clear: civilians, and
UK defence ill-prepared to protect civilians from harm from UK military operations
A report published today by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights warns that as the UK boosts defence spending it is ill-prepared to protect civilians from harm from future UK military operations. Civilian harm mitigation in large-scale combat operations: Lessons for UK defence finds that the UK Ministry of Defence
Ukraine: EU must dedicate a share of asset-backed loan to reparations for victims and survivors of human rights violations
JOINT STATEMENT As the war in Ukraine continues, victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, enforced disappearance, torture, and other grave violations are waiting for justice. Reparations are their right under international law, and a lifeline to rebuild stability, hope and restore dignity. With a EUR 140 billion loan to Ukraine – backed
Ceasefire joins call for UN to publish a complete list of perpetrators in its 2025 Children and Armed Conflict report
Amid rising child casualties, Ceasefire joins call for UN to publish a complete list of perpetrators in its 2025 Children and Armed Conflict report
2025 NGO Statement Ahead of the Open Debate on Protection of Civilians
Ahead of the annual Security Council Open Debate on Protection of Civilians on 22 May, the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and 20 other NGOs have released a joint statement calling on the international community to take urgent action to protect civilians and uphold their rights. Today marks the start
UK military accountability: Comprehensive investigations vital to protect civilians and fulfil their rights
As global conflicts escalate and civilian casualties rise at alarming rates, ensuring the centrality of international humanitarian law (IHL) to military operations is critical. Yet IHL is facing unprecedented threats – not only from deliberate attacks on civilians but also from its misuse to justify civilian harm under the
‘I demand, I ask, I insist on reparations’: Views of Ukrainian civilian victims must be heard in peace negotiations – new report
(Українська мова йде за англійською нижче) With discussions around a potential political agreement intensifying, the issue of ensuring justice and redress for civilians harmed in the conflict is now critical, argues a new report published today by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights (Ceasefire) and the Eastern Ukrainian Centre for
Ceasefire, EUCCI, and MRG deliver joint statement to UN Human Rights Council on reparations for victims of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine
CHECK AGAINST DELIVERY Human Rights Council – 58th Session Tuesday 18th March 2025 Item 4 Interactive Dialogue with the Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine Speaker: Mr. Volodymyr Shcherbachenko, Head of Eastern Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives Mr. Chair, Minority Rights Group, Eastern Ukrainian Centre for Civic Initiatives
UN Human Rights Council side event: Reparations for victims of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine: Victims’ perspectives on challenges and paths forward
At the 58th Session of the United Nations Human Rights Council, the Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Ukraine (CoI) will report its findings on human rights abuses, international law violations and related crimes committed during Russia’s armed aggression against Ukraine. This side event will discuss the issue of reparations
What does a ceasefire in Gaza mean for civilians?
A ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas takes effect from Sunday 19 January. If it holds, this will mark the first pause in hostilities since November 2023. The initial stage of the agreement outlines a six-week ceasefire, the release of an agreed number of hostages by Hamas in exchange for
New report calls for fresh approach to UK investigations of civilian harm by military forces
A report published today by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights finds recurrent and systemic shortcomings in the UK’s practice of investigating civilian harm caused by its military forces, including in Afghanistan and Iraq. The response of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) to alleged extrajudicial executions of civilians in Afghanistan,
Strengthened parliamentary oversight needed for UK Special Forces, says new policy brief
A new policy brief from the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights calls for urgent reforms to improve accountability and parliamentary oversight of UK Special Forces (UKSF) amid recurring allegations of civilian harm. Accountability for violations of international humanitarian law and war crimes committed by military forces, including Special Forces, is
UK military accountability: New government should change how it decides to go to war
In 2020, Keir Starmer vowed there would be ‘No more illegal wars’ under his Labour Party leadership. After a landslide election on 4 July, the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights calls on the new prime minister and his government to change how the decision to go to war is made.
Escalating violations in Syria’s Afrin
A year after the region was hit by a devastating earthquake, the human rights situation in Afrin in Turkish-occupied Syria is deteriorating further, finds a new submission to the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria by Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights and YASA Kurdish Center for Studies and Legal Consultancy.
UK war powers convention now devoid of content: New report
The constitutional Convention requiring Parliament to be consulted if the UK goes to war has now been emptied of any substantive content, argues a new report published by the Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s decision in January 2024 to commence ongoing airstrikes against Ansar Allah (‘the
Iraq: Rise in family-based violence against women linked to conflict
An increase in domestic violence against women is closely linked to the legacy of conflict in Iraq, finds a new report by Ceasefire Centre for Civilian Rights. As a result of conflict violence, women and girls experienced higher rates of physical, emotional and sexual abuse at the hands of their
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