The Current and Future Relevance of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ Doctrine – The Case of Libya
The Current and Future Relevance of the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ Doctrine – The Case of Libya

Summary/Abstract: Several crisis situations worldwide have shown that governments and the international community often fail to prevent or halt serious crimes under international law. Recognizing this failure, world leaders made a historic commitment to protect populations from the most heinous crimes known to mankind at the United Nations (UN) 2005 World Summit. This commitment, which is known as the “responsibility to protect”, stipulates that the State carries the primary responsibility for the protection of its population. Insofar as a State fails to protect its population, or is in fact the perpetrator of crimes, the international community should use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The international community must also be prepared to take stronger measures, including the collective use of force through the UN Security Council. The passing of UN Resolution 1973 meant that the Libyan civil war (2011) was the first occasion on which the Security Council activated the “responsibility to protect” doctrine to maintain international peace and security.

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