Ten Years Since the World Summit: Developing Civil Society’s Strategy for the Responsibility to Protect in the Asia-Pacific Region

Remarkable progress has been made toward increasing awareness and understanding of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) norm, the only globally agreed upon commitment and articulated, tangible political framework for the prevention of and response to atrocities. Despite progress, tremendous challenges in the Asia-Pacific region have arisen with regards to building political support for R2P and taking action to advance its implementation. Civil society actors have played and will continue to play a unique and vital role in addressing these challenges and advancing progress. Now is a critical moment for civil society actors engaged in the prevention of atrocities to recommit to upholding the principles enshrined in R2P, assess the progress and challenges of the past decade, and consider how to strategically move forward.

To discuss the challenges to and opportunities for advancing R2P in Asia, the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP), the Stanley Center, and the Asia Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect gathered representatives of Asian and international civil society for the workshop “Ten Years Since the World Summit: Developing Civil Society’s Strategy for R2P in the Asia Pacific” on February 28, 2015, in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. The workshop reflected on the best practices and challenges of the past decade; evaluated the ability of domestic, regional, and international actors to implement R2P; and identified measures that could further operationalize the norm. Representatives of civil society from Australia, Cambodia, Thailand, Indonesia, and the Philippines, as well as those from international nongovernmental organizations, participated in the meeting.