The Responsibility to Protect: Report of the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a principle that emerged from a 2001 report by the International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty. It asserts that states have a duty to protect their populations from severe harm, including genocide and war crimes. If a state fails to do so, the international community has a responsibility to intervene, using diplomatic, humanitarian, or military means as necessary. R2P emphasizes that while state sovereignty is important, it cannot shield governments from being held accountable for protecting their citizens' fundamental rights.