Unarmed Civilian Protection/Accompaniment International Gathering
Our Executive Director, K Bain was in Geneva, Switzerland representing CCD at the Unarmed Civilian Protection Accompaniment (UCP/A) International Gathering, the first global gathering of UCP/A practitioners, their community partners, researchers and allies. Collaborating to advance the UCP/A Community of Practice by creating opportunities to grapple with shared issues, explore creative solutions, and build relationships with colleagues working around the world, our ED had the opportunity to connect with leaders from around the world.
UCP/A is a community of practitioners committed to unarmed civilian protection and accompaniment, addressing the issue of violence against civilians and oppression. They emphasize the importance of adopting nonviolent approaches to protect and empower civilians.
Their core commitments and beliefs are as follows:
Nonviolence: They firmly believe in the power of nonviolence as a force for social change. They see nonviolence as a multi-dimensional concept encompassing moral, spiritual, mental, and emotional dimensions.
Direct Protection: The community prioritizes practical responses to immediate threats of violence. While they work to address systemic violence, they also encourage communities to develop practical responses to physical violence.
Primacy of Local Actors: The group places the leadership and power of those directly affected by violent conflict at the center of their efforts. They believe that sustainable solutions must be grounded in and led by affected communities.
Anti-Oppression: Embracing diversity and inclusivity, they aim to protect the dignity of all, especially those facing interlocking oppressions. They stress the importance of leadership from individuals most impacted by violence, including women and youth.
The community invites collaboration and support from others working in this field and calls on legislators, policymakers, donors, and institutions to recognize the value of unarmed civilian protection and accompaniment as effective and sustainable methods for protecting civilians and preventing violence. They also emphasize the need for dedicated funding and ongoing research to support these approaches. Their collective analysis aims to serve as a valuable resource for organizations, communities, and individuals engaged in unarmed civilian protection in their daily lives.
In the words of our Executive Director, K Bain, “[The]Unarmed civilian protection accompaniment met tonight at an event celebrating the retirement of the founder of the Nonviolent Peace Force. Mel Duncan. I was invited here to be amongst thought leaders, innovators, activists from around the world and had an opportunity to address the U.N. in Geneva.”
