Protection of Civilians and Peacekeeping's Accountability Deficit. Issue 4 (8th August 2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Donais, Timothy; Tanguay, Eric
• Is Part Of: International peacekeeping. Volume 28:Issue 4(2021)
• Page Start: 553
• Page End: 578
• Publication Date: 2021-08-08
• Subjects: Peacekeeping -- accountability -- protection of civilians -- sexual exploitation and abuse; International police -- Periodicals; Peacekeeping forces -- Periodicals; 327.172
• DOI: 10.1080/13533312.2021.1880900
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1353-3312

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Debates around performance and accountability are now front and centre in discussions around peacekeeping reform. Both concepts are prominent in the UN Secretary-General's Action for Peacekeeping Initiative, while the Security Council recently stressed the need to improve 'posture, behaviour, leadership, initiative and accountability' within peace operations. This paper explores the politics of the accountability debate and the prospects for improved peacekeeper accountability in the context of protection of civilians (PoC) mandates, with an understanding that civilians in conflict often need protection not only from conflict parties but also – as the struggles with sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) demonstrate – from peacekeepers themselves. While strengthened accountability mechanisms can help bridge the gap between the promise and the practice of protection, declining peacekeeping budgets and the amorphous and all-encompassing nature of PoC mandates complicate developing specific performance metrics and accountability mechanisms. Thus, while the UN has struggled to ensure misconduct accountability with regard to SEA, performance accountability represents a challenge of considerably greater magnitude. Absent serious consideration of the structural impediments involved, and the imperative of managing ambiguity, the accountability/performance debate may do little more than exacerbate tensions between those countries who staff peacekeeping missions and those who pay for them.