United Nations Security Council resolution 1265, adopted unanimously on 17 September 1999, in the first resolution to address the topic, the council discussed the protection of civilians during

armed conflict War is an intense armed conflict between states, governments, societies, or paramilitary groups such as mercenaries, insurgents, and militias. It is generally characterized by extreme violence, destruction, and mortality, using regular ...

Resolution

Observations

The security council noted reports from the Secretary-General

Kofi Annan Kofi Atta Annan (; 8 April 193818 August 2018) was a Ghanaian diplomat who served as the seventh secretary-general of the United Nations from 1997 to 2006. Annan and the UN were the co-recipients of the 2001 Nobel Peace Prize. He was the founder ...

concerning the situation in Africa and the protection of civilians in armed conflict. Civilians accounted for the majority of victims in armed conflicts and had increasingly become targets of warring parties. Women, children,

refugee A refugee, conventionally speaking, is a displaced person who has crossed national borders and who cannot or is unwilling to return home due to well-founded fear of persecution.

s and

internally displaced person An internally displaced person (IDP) is someone who is forced to leave their home but who remains within their country's borders. They are often referred to as refugees, although they do not fall within the legal definitions of a refugee. A ...

s were particularly the target of violence and this impaired lasting peace and reconciliation. The council stressed the importance of addressing the issues driving armed conflict around the world and the protection of civilians through economic growth, eradication of poverty, sustainable development, national reconciliation, good governance, democracy,

rule of law The rule of law is the political philosophy that all citizens and institutions within a country, state, or community are accountable to the same laws, including lawmakers and leaders. The rule of law is defined in the ''Encyclopedia Britannica ...

and respect for human rights. It expressed concern that, during armed conflict, there was little respect for international humanitarian, human rights and refugee law. Vulnerable groups, particularly children, also had specific rights and needs during armed conflicts, as noted in Resolution 1261 (1999) and women were also affected.

Acts

The security council condemned the intentional targeting of civilians during armed conflicts. All concerned parties were called upon to respect international humanitarian law, especially the

Hague The Hague ( ; nl, Den Haag or ) is a city and municipality of the Netherlands, situated on the west coast facing the North Sea. The Hague is the country's administrative centre and its seat of government, and while the official capital of ...

and

Geneva Conventions upright=1.15, Original document in single pages, 1864 The Geneva Conventions are four treaties, and three additional protocols, that establish international legal standards for humanitarian treatment in war. The singular term ''Geneva Conven ...

. States that had not

ratified Ratification is a principal's approval of an act of its agent that lacked the authority to bind the principal legally. Ratification defines the international act in which a state indicates its consent to be bound to a treaty if the parties inte ...

international instruments were urged to do so and take steps to implement the instruments at a domestic level. The importance of safe, secure and unhindered access with

freedom of movement Freedom of movement, mobility rights, or the right to travel is a human rights concept encompassing the right of individuals to travel from place to place within the territory of a country,Jérémiee Gilbert, ''Nomadic Peoples and Human Rights' ...

for international humanitarian agencies during armed conflict was underlined. The

Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel The Convention on the Safety of United Nations and Associated Personnel is a United Nations treaty that has the goal of protecting United Nations peacekeepers and other UN personnel. Adoption New Zealand and Ukraine proposed such a convention in ...

of 1994 and the

Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction The Convention on the Prohibition of the Use, Stockpiling, Production and Transfer of Anti-Personnel Mines and on their Destruction of 1997, known informally as the Ottawa Treaty, the Anti-Personnel Mine Ban Convention, or often simply the Mine ...

(Ottawa Treaty) of 1997 had come into force and the Council recalled the benefit this would have on civilians in armed conflict. The training of staff and presence of civilian police in peacekeeping operations was stressed, while the destabilising effect of the proliferation of

weapon A weapon, arm or armament is any implement or device that can be used to deter, threaten, inflict physical damage, harm, or kill. Weapons are used to increase the efficacy and efficiency of activities such as hunting, crime, law enforcement, s ...

s and

ammunition Ammunition (informally ammo) is the material fired, scattered, dropped, or detonated from any weapon or weapon system. Ammunition is both expendable weapons (e.g., bombs, missiles, grenades, land mines) and the component parts of other weap ...

was emphasised. The resolution expressed willingness to examine how

peacekeeping Peacekeeping comprises activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. Research generally finds that peacekeeping reduces civilian and battlefield deaths, as well as reduces the risk of renewed warfare. Within the United N ...

mandates addressed the harm of armed conflict on civilians and to respond to situations where civilians were deliberately targeted and

humanitarian aid Humanitarian aid is material and logistic assistance to people who need help. It is usually short-term help until the long-term help by the government and other institutions replaces it. Among the people in need are the homeless, refugees, and ...

obstructed. The council would also work with international organisations such as the

International Committee of the Red Cross The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC; french: Comité international de la Croix-Rouge) is a humanitarian organization which is based in Geneva, Switzerland, and it is also a three-time Nobel Prize Laureate. State parties (signato ...

and regional organisations to find ways to enhance civilian protection. Lastly, the council established a mechanism to review the recommendations contained in the report of the Secretary-General and announced that it would consider measures to be taken by April 2000.

References

External links

*
Text of the Resolution at undocs.org
{{UNSCR 1999 1265 1265 September 1999 events

Resolution

Observations

Acts

See also

References

External links