United Nations Security Council Resolution 2475 – Protection of civilians in armed conflict

Resolution 2475 (2019)

The Security Council,

Reiterating its primary responsibility for the maintenance of international peace and security, and in this connection, expressing its commitment to address the disproportionate impact of armed conflict and related humanitarian crises on persons with disabilities,

Expressing serious concern regarding the disproportionate impact that armed conflict has on persons with disabilities, including abandonment, violence, and lack of access to basic services, stressing the protection and assistance needs of all affected civilian populations, and emphasizing the need to consider the particular needs of persons with disabilities in humanitarian response,

Recalling the Geneva Conventions of 1949 and the Additional Protocols thereto of 1977, as applicable,

Recalling the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, in particular Article 11 on situations of risk and humanitarian emergencies,

Reaffirming that parties to armed conflict bear the primary responsibility to take all feasible steps to protect civilians and recalling that States bear the primary responsibility to respect and ensure the human rights of all persons within their territory and subject to their jurisdiction as provided for by international law,

Recalling also the universality, indivisibility, interdependence and interrelatedness of all human rights and fundamental freedoms and the need for persons with disabilities, including those with physical, intellectual, psychosocial and sensory disabilities and those marginalized on the basis of their disability, to be guaranteed their full enjoyment without discrimination,

Recognising the critical contributions of persons with disabilities and their representative organizations to conflict prevention, resolution, reconciliation, reconstruction, peacebuilding and addressing the root causes of conflict, and in this regard, stressing the importance of sustained consultation and dialogue between persons with disabilities, including their representative organizations, and humanitarian organizations and national and international decision makers,

Recognising the particular barriers faced by persons with disabilities in accessing justice, including access to effective remedies and, as appropriate, reparation, in relation to violations of international humanitarian law,

Recognising the importance of incorporating the views of persons with disabilities in humanitarian response plans and post-conflict recovery and reconstruction planning, including on accessibility and reasonable accommodation,

Recognising the need for timely data and information on, and analysis of, the impact of armed conflict on persons with disabilities,

Reaffirming its commitment to upholding the purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the full respect for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of States in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations,

Reaffirming the importance of addressing the root causes of armed conflicts to achieve sustainable peace and security,

Noting the relevance of on-going international initiatives, including the United Nations Disability Inclusion Strategy and the Inter-Agency Standing Committee’s development of Guidelines on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action and noting the Charter on Inclusion of Persons with Disabilities in Humanitarian Action,

1. Urges all parties to armed conflict to take measures, in accordance with applicable international law obligations to protect civilians, including those with disabilities, and to prevent violence and abuses against civilians in situations of armed conflict, including those involving killing and maiming, abduction and torture; as well as rape and other forms of sexual violence in conflict and post-conflict situations;

2. Emphasizes the need for States to end impunity for criminal acts against civilians, including those with disabilities, and to ensure that such persons have access to justice and effective remedies and, as appropriate, reparation;

3. Calls upon all parties to armed conflict to allow and facilitate safe, timely and unimpeded humanitarian access to all people in need of assistance;

4. Underlines the benefit of providing sustainable, timely, appropriate, inclusive and accessible assistance to civilians with disabilities affected by armed conflict, including reintegration, rehabilitation and psychosocial support, to ensure that their specific needs are effectively addressed, in particular those of women and children with disabilities;

5. Encourages Member States to take appropriate measures to ensure that persons with disabilities have access on an equal basis with others to basic services provided in the context of armed conflict, including education, health care services, transportation and information and communication technologies and systems;

6. Urges Member States to enable the meaningful participation and representation of persons with disabilities, including their representative organizations, in humanitarian action, conflict prevention, resolution, reconciliation, reconstruction and peacebuilding, and to consult with those with expertise working on disability mainstreaming;

7. Emphasizes the importance of building capacity and knowledge of the rights and specific needs of persons with disabilities across United Nations peacekeeping and peacebuilding actors and urges Member States to play a central role in this regard;

8. Urges Member States to take all appropriate measures to eliminate discrimination and marginalization of persons on the basis of disability in situations of armed conflict, particularly those who face multiple and intersecting forms of discrimination;

9. Requests the Secretary-General to include, where pertinent, information and related recommendations on issues of relevance to persons with disabilities, in the context of armed conflict, in thematic and geographic reports and regular briefings to the Council, as well as to include, where pertinent, data disaggregated by disability within existing mandates and within existing resources;

10. Recognises the importance of interactions between civil society and the Council and, in this regard, expresses its intention to invite persons with disabilities, including their representative organizations, to brief the Council in relevant thematic and geographic areas and consider including interactive meetings with local persons with disabilities, and their representative organizations, in the field during Council missions;

11. Urges State parties to comply with the obligations applicable to them under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.

Adopted by the Security Council at its 8556th meeting, on 20 June 2019.