Responsibility to Protect

From the General Assembly President's Revised Draft Outcome Document from 5 August

We agree that the protection of populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity lies first and foremost with each individual State. We also agree that this responsibility to protect entails the prevention of such crimes, including their incitement. We accept this responsibility and agree to act in accordance with it. The international community should, as appropriate, encourage and help States to exercise this responsibility and support the efforts of the United Nations to establish an early-warning capability. The international community, through the United Nations, also has the obligation to use diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means, including under Chapters VI and VIII of the Charter to help protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. In this context, we recognize our shared responsibility to take collective action, in a timely and decisive manner, through the Security Council under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and in co-operation with relevant regional organizations, should peaceful means be inadequate and national authorities be unwilling or unable to protect their populations. We stress the need to continue consideration of the concept of the responsibility to protect within the sixtieth session of the General Assembly.

We invite the permanent members of the Security Council to refrain from using the veto in cases of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.

We support the implementation of the United Nations Action Plan to Prevent Genocide and the work of the Secretariat to this end.

From The General Assembly President's Draft Outcome Document

We agree that the responsibility to protect civilian populations lies first and foremost with each individual State. The international community should, as neccessary, encourage and help States to exercise this responsibility. The international community has also the responsibility of to use diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means under Chapter VI and VIII of the UN Charter to help protect civilian populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. If such peaceful means appear insufficient, we recognize out shared responsibility to take collective action, through the Security Council and, as appropriate, in cooperation with relevant regional organizations under Chapter VII of the Charter.

We support the implementation of the United Nations Action Plan to prevent genocide.

We stress the need to continue consideration of the concept of the responsibility to protect within the General Assembly.

From The Secretary-General's Report "In Larger Freedom"

The Secretary General builds on the recommendation from the High Level Panel on Threats Challenges and Change and calls for governments to endorse the “emerging norm” that there is a “responsibility to protect”.

This is a responsibility, first and foremost, for each individual State whose “primary raison d’être and duty is to protect its population.” However, if states are “unable or unwilling to protect their citizens, then the responsibility shifts to the international community to use diplomatic humanitarian and other methods to help protect the human rights and well-being of civilian populations. When such methods appear insufficient, the Security Council may out of necessity decide to take action under the Charter of the United Nations, including enforcement action, if so required.” Any action by the Security Council should adhere to the principles that are recommended to govern use of force, set out above.