Protection of Civilians Course – POC25-2

Peace and Security Studies

Course Duration: 17 - 28 November 2025 (two weeks)
Application Date: - Aug 22, 2025
Course Fee:
  • All expenses are covered by the KAIPTC. The course is fully sponsored by the Government of Switzerland.

  • Tuition, air travel from and to the nearest international airport, visa fees, food and accommodation will be provided by the KAIPTC.

  • However, participants will have to bear the cost for travel and medical insurance.
Terms and Conditions:
  • The course is conducted in English only. There will be no translation in other languages.

  • Priority will be given to applicants from the ECOWAS region, from the field missions and those who have not attended sponsored courses at KAIPTC within the last two years.

  • In case of selection, the participant will be asked to complete a POC e-learning module of the Peace Operations Training Institute (POTI) prior to the beginning of the course. The issued e-certificate is a requirement for your final certification of the POC course (approx. 15 hours of self-study).

  • All participants are to travel with a travel and medical insurance that includes coverage of COVID-19 treatment, and must be valid for additional two weeks after course end date. The KAIPTC and the Swiss Government do NOT accept any responsibility for medical treatment and travel or other insurance.
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    How to Apply
    In short
    Course Date/Duration 17th November – 28th November 2025
    Course Capacity 30 participants
    Target Group Civilian, Police and Military personnel (see details below)
    Course Language English
    Application Deadline 22 August 2025

     

    Background

    The changing nature of armed conflicts has resulted in an increased civilian-combatant interface, to the extent that contemporary conflicts have been referred to as ‘wars among the people’. Civilian populations bear the greatest consequences of today’s complex and intractable conflicts. This changing nature of conflicts has necessitated both doctrinal and operational shifts in peace operations.

    Protection of Civilians has increasingly become an integral component of contemporary peace operations. Emerging international support to the ‘Responsibility to Protect’ norm notwithstanding, peacekeepers and other actors involved in peace support operations are often not adequately prepared or trained to deal with the task of protecting civilians.

     

    Course Aim

    The aim of the POC course is to enhance the capacity of participants for the effective implementation of POC mandates in Peace Operations, in order to mitigate the effects of conflicts on civilians.

    The course is in the process of being re-certified by the United Nations Department for Peace Operations.

     

    Target Group

    This course is targeted at military, police and civilian personnel who are currently deployed or will be deployed in UN, AU or ECOWAS peace operations at operational level in the coming 12 months. (For military officers: Maj, Lt Col, Col or equivalent; for police officers: ASP to CSUPT or equivalent; for civilian staff: P3 to P5, or equivalent).

    • UN/AU/RECs Staff,
    • Mission personnel,
    • Military & Police personnel,
    • Humanitarian Actors,
    • Government officials,
    • Non-Governmental Organizations,
    • Civil Society Organizations.

     

    We strive for an equal participation of Military, Police and Civilians as well as gender balance.

     

    Objectives

    On completion of this course, participants will:

    • Know the key concepts of protection of civilians (POC), child protection (CP), and conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) in Peace Operations,
    • Understand the role of different protection actors,
    • Understand the relevance of the core legal concepts and norms supporting POC,
    • Identify POC strategies at all levels and understand the UN decision making and planning process,
    • Know how to translate conceptual and legal frameworks of POC into appropriate action at the tactical level.

     

    Course Content

    The POC course combines theoretical and practical sessions on the following modules:

    • Introduction to POC,
    • UN and AU Approaches to POC,
    • Legal Framework of POC,
    • POC and its Interlinkages to SSR, R2P and Terrorism,
    • Gender and POC,
    • Climate Security and POC,
    • Mis- & Disinformation,
    • Decision Making and Planning,
    • POC in Practice (incl. Exercise “CARANA”).

     

    Teaching Method

    The course is delivered through a combination of lectures, case studies, small group works and exercises based on the “Collaborative Problem-Based Learning Approach”: participants will play an active role under the guidance of an experienced team of facilitators.

     

    How to Apply

    Interested applicants are requested to kindly fill and submit an online application form not later than 22nd August 2025 / 1200 UTC. Access the application by pressing the “How to Apply” button.

    The course usually attracts a lot of interest. A selection committee decides on the final admission to the course end of August 2025.

    Contact

    LTC Patrick LÜDIN

    Swiss Armed Forces

    Course Director

    Cell / WhatsApp: +233 (0) 53 900 5023

    Email: course.director-che@kaiptc.org