World: Protection of civilians in armed conflict - Report of the Secretary-General (S/2026/390)

Country: World Source: UN Security Council Please refer to the attached file. I. Introduction 1. The present report is submitted pursuant to the request in the statement by the President of the Security Council of 21 September 2018 (S/PRST/2018/18) and responds to the Council’s requests for reporting on specific themes in resolutions 2286 (2016), 2417 (2018), 2474 (2019), 2475 (2019), 2573 (2021) and 2730 (2024). The report covers the period from 1 January to 31 December 2025 and highlights key trends regarding the protection of civilians in armed conflicts; country examples used are illustrative and not exhaustive. 2. In 2025, the gap between global commitments to protect civilians in armed conflict and the reality faced by civilians widened further. Across conflicts, the same pattern was repeated: civilians bore the brunt of hostilities, were killed and injured, and were subjected to sexual violence, repeated displacement, hunger and terror. Critical infrastructure was destroyed or damaged, whether through direct attacks or incidental harm. Essential services including food, healthcare, water, electricity, sanitation and shelter were disrupted, obstructed and rendered inaccessible, pushing already fragile populations towards catastrophe. This unfolded amid legal and political impunity. 3. The tenth anniversary, in May 2026, of the adoption of Security Council resolution 2286 (2016) is marked by rising attacks on medical personnel and facilities. The report examines key challenges facing medical care in conflict since 2016. Conflict-induced hunger deepened, with two simultaneous famines. Humanitarian workers were impeded in their work, kidnapped and killed. Climate shocks and environmental degradation further eroded the resilience of conflict-affected people. 4. Technologies, including a...

Original source: Relief Web