Prioritizing protection of civilians in peacekeeping in the Central African Republic

Focusing on the case of the Central African Republic (CAR), Keenan and Giffen argue that peacekeeping operations are increasingly deployed into complex environments where civilians are deliberately targeted by different armed actors. The authors argue that in order to improve the operations’ credibility and legitimacy, the UN Security Council and DPKO need to prioritize immediate protection needs in the early stages of assessment and planning.