The Protection of Civilians: Challenges for UNMISS

Abstract: Since the Rwandan (1994) and Balkan (1990s) atrocities, the humanitarian dimension and in particular the protection of civilians (POC) mandate has become increasingly important in UN peacekeeping operations. It is often used as a visible indicator of a mission’s success. Yet scores of civilian deaths continue to plague missions baring the failures of UN peacekeeping to fulfil its mandate. The aim of this thesis is to examine the key challenges of implementing a POC mandate in the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS). The challenges will thereafter be analyzed using Cosmopolitan and Realist conceptions of peacekeeping. Both theories offer insights into the dilemma of state sovereignty versus human security. This investigation is based on the analysis of several primary sources as well as one interview with the Senior Coordination Officer for the Relief, Reintegrate and Protection (RRP) section of UNMISS. The findings reveal that the mission has been beset by access restrictions, a hostile political climate, as well as capacity/logistical problems on ground. These three challenges portray the macro, local, and technical dimension of peacekeeping. Ultimately, this paper leads to a better understanding of the difficulties felt by UNMISS when trying to protect civilians.