The Responsibility to Protect (R2P)

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a global principle aimed at preventing mass atrocities, such as genocide, war crimes, and ethnic cleansing. It asserts that if a government fails to protect its citizens from these serious harms, the international community has a duty to intervene, using diplomatic means or, in extreme cases, military action. Established at the United Nations in 2005, R2P emphasizes that protecting human rights is a collective responsibility, balancing state sovereignty with the need to safeguard vulnerable populations from violence and suffering.