Related commentary: Trends in armed conflicts

In November 2013 the United Nations Secretary-General is expected to release his next report on the protection of civilians (POC) in armed conflict. With the ongoing debates in anticipation of the report, and as the 20th anniversary of the 1994 Rwandan genocide approaches, now is the time to reflect on what the concept of POC has achieved so far, and how its implementation needs to be adjusted.

The deployment of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan is associated with higher cereal production between 2008–11, suggesting peacekeeping missions can help to secure food security.