The Draft Guidelines for the Protection of Civilians in AU Peace Support Operations provide a consolidated framework to guide AU missions in preventing, mitigating, and responding to threats against civilians. They are structured around four interrelated tiers: protection through political processes, physical protection, rights-based protection, and the establishment of a secure environment. Unlike the UN approach, the AU guidelines treat these tiers as distinct but complementary approaches rather than outcomes, separating political, human rights, and stabilization efforts from physical protection. The Guidelines aim to translate AU commitments to IHL and civilian protection into operational planning, mandates, and mission conduct.

This document is not available online. According to analytical briefs written by civil society, this consists of a formal AU PoC policy establishing a comprehensive framework for institutionalizing protection across peace and security operations.

The Australian Guidelines for the Protection of Civilians lay out a whole-of-government approach for Australia’s overseas operations — especially involving the Australian Defence Force (ADF) and the Australian Federal Police (AFP) — to protect civilians during armed conflicts or violent situations. Includes a commitment to IHL, strategies for consulting with civil society organisations, and a recognition of the varied needs of vulnerable groups including women and girls, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities, refugees or internally displaced persons, and other at-risk populations. Does not explicitly establish a mechanism for tracking or disclosing civilian harm.

Australia’s Manual on the Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC Manual) (2006) is the Australian Defence Force’s (ADF) authoritative guide on international humanitarian law (IHL). It explains how the law of armed conflict applies to the planning, conduct, and assessment of military operations.

Commitment to the advancement of WPS, ensuring that Australia continues to promote gender equality, protect the human rights of women and girls, and secure their full, equal and meaningful participation in peace and security processes

This resolution calls on the federal government to ensure maximum transparency toward Parliament regarding the prevention, monitoring and reporting of possible civilian casualties from Belgian military deployments, to consult with allies on lessons learned to better protect civilians, and to publicly communicate and cooperate with external bodies on possible civilian harm

Description: The fourth Women, Peace and Security (WPS) National Action Plan, designed to implement United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 on women’s roles in peace and security. The plan applies both within Belgium and internationally — in Belgium’s development cooperation, its bilateral relations, in international organisations, and in countries where Belgian forces are deployed; specific focus countries include Burkina Faso, the Democratic Republic of Congo, Mali and Niger.

The LOAC‑Manual gives commanders, staff officers, and troops a practical guide to apply the rules of international humanitarian law (IHL / LOAC) during operations — especially when legal advisors may not be available in real‑time. It covers both the conduct of hostilities (when and how force can be used) and the protection of victims of armed conflict (civilians, wounded, sick, detainees, etc.), for both international (state‑vs‑state) and non‑international armed conflicts. Key principles include distinguishing between combatants and civilians (and between legitimate military objectives vs civilian objects), limiting force to what is necessary, and prohibiting attacks on civilians or civilians hors de combat, looting, and inhumane treatment of detainees or the wounded.

Canada’s plan commits the government to promote the meaningful participation of women, girls, and gender-diverse people in peace, security and crisis-response efforts, while working to prevent and respond to sexual and gender-based violence, improve access to justice and security, and integrate intersectional and anti-racist approaches across peacebuilding, humanitarian, and security efforts at home and abroad.

The Military Manual is an official Danish Defence publication that sets out the international legal framework governing how Danish armed forces must plan for and conduct international military operations. It was developed to ensure that Denmark’s forces understand and comply with the full range of international law obligations, including the law of armed conflict and IHL, during deployments abroad.

Description: The Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — in their 2024 joint statement to the United Nations Security Council, warn of widespread civilian suffering in conflicts (e.g. Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, the Sahel), condemn violations of international humanitarian law, and call for renewed and comprehensive commitment to protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and preventing harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.

A financial mechanism for compensating civilians with ex-gratia payments

Denmark’s National Action Plan 2025–2029 refers to its fifth National Action Plan (NAP) on Women, Peace and Security (WPS), continuing Denmark’s long-standing implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1325 and the broader WPS agenda. Denmark was the first country in the world to adopt a WPS national action plan in 2005, and this new plan updates and strengthens that framework for the period 2025–2029.

A statement at the UN outlining the EU member states’ stance on PoC.

This document contains the latest EU guidelines on the protection of civilians in CSDP missions and operations, including the EU’s definition of PoC.

A strategy that combines diplomatic, security, development, and humanitarian tools to address external conflicts and crises comprehensively, focusing on human security.

The Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — in their 2024 joint statement to the United Nations Security Council, warn of widespread civilian suffering in conflicts (e.g. Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, the Sahel), condemn violations of international humanitarian law, and call for renewed and comprehensive commitment to protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and preventing harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The manual gathers in a single reference the legal rules and principles governing when and how the French armed forces may use force, whether on French territory or abroad, in peacetime or armed conflict. It lays out France’s interpretation of applicable international and domestic law — including international humanitarian law (IHL), international human rights law (IHRL), criminal law, law of the sea, space law, and others — and provides guidance for commanders and legal advisers to ensure operations comply with those rules. The manual covers a broad spectrum: from the use of force on national territory under different legal frameworks (defense, civil security, judicial requisition) to international armed conflict, peace‑keeping or peace‑enforcement operations abroad. It formalizes for the first time in France a comprehensive doctrine on “operational law,” giving troops, legal advisers, and commanders a shared, publicly available baseline for lawful conduct, which helps with transparency, accountability, and coordination with international partners.

France’s NAP 2021–2025 commits the government to advance the global agenda of UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda by working on four main pillars — prevention, protection (including fighting impunity), participation, and promotion — with the goal of preventing gender-based and conflict-related violence, strengthening women’s participation and leadership in peacekeeping, security and post-conflict efforts, and embedding gender equality throughout France’s foreign, humanitarian and security policies.

A policy released by the Iraqi Prime Minister’s office. This is a comprehensive policy, reviewing existing international examples of PoC policies to the Iraqi context, setting out the Iraqi vision for protection during armed conflict and in times of peace. The policy is applicable to the entirety of the Iraqi Security Apparatus and is not isolated to the MoD or MoI. The policy was developed in collaboration with civil society organisations PAX and Al Amal Association.

The 2006 Manual on the Rules of Warfare is an Israeli military legal guidance document produced by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). It sets out principles and rules for conducting hostilities and interpreting how legal norms — especially International Humanitarian Law (IHL) — should inform the IDF’s planning and execution of military operations on the battlefield. It functions as an internal doctrinal text for commanders, legal advisers, and soldiers on how to understand and apply the law of armed conflict in practice.

The 2006 Manual on the Rules of Warfare is an Israeli military legal guidance document produced by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF). It sets out principles and rules for conducting hostilities and interpreting how legal norms — especially International Humanitarian Law (IHL) — should inform the IDF’s planning and execution of military operations on the battlefield. It functions as an internal doctrinal text for commanders, legal advisers, and soldiers on how to understand and apply the law of armed conflict in practice.

This policy provides NZDF-wide procedures and implementation for responding to reports of civilian harm arising from military activity in situations of armed conflict. The policy acknowledges the need for a national framework that sets a higher bar for responding to reports of civilian harm than what is legally required under IHL/LOAC. It provides for a clear and accessible internal and external process for reports of civilian harm, that these reports should be publicly available and promptly responded to. It also requires the NZDF to ensure that deployments as part of a multinational force examine the approach of the multinational force to civilian harm and encourages the codification of civilian harm response in the agreement for joining said force.

Volume 4 of New Zealand’s Manual of Armed Forces Law is the authoritative New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) guide to international humanitarian law (IHL). It explains how the law of armed conflict (LOAC) applies to the planning, conduct, and aftermath of military operations involving New Zealand forces.

New Zealand’s National Security Plan, with a few broad remarks about the importance of human security: “The Strategy underscores the importance to New Zealand of a peaceful, stable, and resilient Pacific, and recognises the value that close international partnerships contribute on every security challenge we face. It acknowledges our commitment to human rights, the rule of law, and teTiriti o Waitangi/the Treaty of Waitangi.

New Zealand’s National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security 2025-2035 outlines its continued implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolutions on Women, Peace and Security

An action plan created to mitigate harm to civilians from Nigerian air strikes, in an attempt to institutionalise protection of civilians practices in Nigeria’s military.

This policy outlines NATO's commitment to the protection of civilians during NATO-led operations, emphasising the integration of PoC considerations into planning and execution phases.

This handbook supports the integration of the NATO PoC approach in the planning and conduct of NATO operations and missions, providing practical guidance for NATO staff.

This policy represents NATO's comprehensive approach to addressing the multifaceted challenges affecting civilian populations in conflict and crisis situations.

Reflects on progress in its five key human security areas of work and elaborates on crucial subjects such as resilience-building and climate security. As NATO continues to advance its human security agenda, the report also outlines both its accomplishments and the path forward.

This doctrine provides guidance on NATO's role in stabilization and reconstruction efforts, emphasizing the importance of protecting civilians (and explicitly CHMR) during such operations.

These guidelines provide military-specific direction on preventing and responding to sexual and gender-based violence in conflict, complementing broader NATO policies on CRSV.

This policy provides a framework for NATO's role in preventing and responding to CRSV in all NATO missions and operations.

The policy integrates the latest international best practices and child protection principles of Allies and other international and regional initiatives, with special attention on awareness and preventive measures to better protect children in NATO operations. These efforts include training the Alliance’s deployed troops to recognise, monitor and report violations against children and to incorporate child protection issues into NATO exercise scenarios.

NATO’s Policy on Women, Peace and Security commits the Alliance to integrating gender perspectives across its core tasks, emphasising protection of women and girls—especially from gender-based and conflict-related violence—and advancing their meaningful participation in peace and security processes. It aligns with the UN Women, Peace and Security agenda, focuses on gender-responsive leadership, prevention, protection, and integrates the policy into NATO doctrine, training, and operations to enhance civilian protection and crisis response.

The Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — in their 2024 joint statement to the United Nations Security Council, warn of widespread civilian suffering in conflicts (e.g. Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, the Sahel), condemn violations of international humanitarian law, and call for renewed and comprehensive commitment to protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and preventing harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.

The Russian Combat Manual (2005) is a doctrinal military guide for conducting combined-arms combat at the tactical level. While not a dedicated IHL manual, it is part of Russia’s broader military corpus that can reflect how armed forces are expected to operate — and is therefore cited in IHL practice contexts when analyzing Russia’s implementation of legal obligations during armed conflict.

The Nordic countries — Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden — in their 2024 joint statement to the United Nations Security Council, warn of widespread civilian suffering in conflicts (e.g. Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan, DRC, the Sahel), condemn violations of international humanitarian law, and call for renewed and comprehensive commitment to protecting civilians, ensuring humanitarian access, and preventing harm to civilians and civilian infrastructure.

Sweden’s document provides official national information on its status with respect to the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions and highlights national actions relating to international humanitarian law (IHL) implementation and compliance. The submission is part of a reporting process under a GA resolution focused on strengthening respect for IHL worldwide.