Responding to conflict situations - Q and As
What is the ‘Responsibility to Protect'?
The Responsibility to Protect is a UN principle based on extensive research which aims at addressing the international community's serial failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.
Its key pillar is the principle that it is the responsibility of the international community to take timely, decisive and proportionate action, by force if necessary, to prevent and halt genocide, ethnic cleansing, war crimes and crimes against humanity if a state is manifestly failing to protect its population, and if all other routes of intervention have been exhausted.
What is the International Criminal Court?
The International Criminal Court is an international tribunal where individuals can be tried for genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes. It came into being in July 2002. 110 ten states are members, including the UK. Notable non members include the USA and Israel.
The court is currently investigating situations in four African countries - the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Central African Republic, Sudan and Uganda.
The UK
should do all that it can to strengthen the court and support its actions.
What is the status of the UN Arms Trade Treaty?
Irresponsible arms transfers fuel conflict, poverty and human rights abuses.
In the past, the UK has shown leadership in promoting a strong Arms Trade Treaty at the United Nations. But right now the Treaty is stuck in the slow lane - governments have been discussing the ATT since 2006, meanwhile over 2 million people have died from armed violence.
The UK Government needs to finish what it started.
