VI. Cross-Cutting Topics and Human Security
The term Cross-Cutting Topics (CCT)
refers to a range of different topics that could affect the mission in a number of ways, but which fall outside of the military’s primary responsibilities. Different military disciplines, branches and command levels may have to consider and deal with a variety of CCTs. As described in the NATO AJP 01 (Ed F, vs.1), the current CCTs are comprised of Protection of Civilians (PoC), Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), Cultural Property Protection (CPP), Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA), Combating Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB) and Building Integrity (BI).
Figure 6.1 Overview CCTs
Human Security is currently a subject of development within NATO. According to NATO’s current Human Security Guiding Principles, the focus is on the areas where the Alliance can be the most effective: PoC, CAAC, CPP, CRSV and CTHB.[1]
Although the execution of activities related to the CCTs is the responsibility of the commander and all subordinate branches and units, CIMIC (J9) has a strong link with CCTs. Understanding the human environment (by integrating the understanding of the civil factors of the operating environment) is one of the core activities of CIMIC. To build this human-environment picture, CMI – the other core activity - is also of imminent importance. Information exchange can be done with HNs, IOs, GOs and NGOs. By collecting all information related to the CCTs, CIMIC branches and units can build that human-environment picture in support of the commander.
CCTs
PoC: Protection of Civilians
All efforts taken to avoid, minimize and mitigate the negative effects on persons, objects and services by own and adversary actions and to protect civilians from conflict-related physical violence.
PoC is an overarching issue for military personnel and aid workers. It ties closely with the Responsibility to Protect. The most effective way to protect civilians is to bring an end to violent conflicts, build trust and confidence of parties in peaceful solutions, and advance peace processes and national reconciliation. PoC focuses on three Lenses: 1: Mitigate Harm (MH)[2], 2: Facilitate Access to Basic Needs, 3: Contribute to a Safe and Secure environment.
Although MH is the lens where the military can make the difference by their own behaviour, CIMIC observes, analyses and reports all the elements of PoC for the understanding of the civil environment.
CAAC: Children and Armed Conflict Figure 6.2 Framework POC
in Armed Conflict.
Protection of children affected by armed conflict. Source: NATO PoC
Handbook page 8
Children are involved in and affected by conflicts in different ways.
They are always victims and need to be protected, even when they may be perpetrators of crimes.
In order to advance the goal of protecting children during armed conflict and ending the impunity of perpetrators, the UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) #1612 identifies six categories of violations – the so-called six grave violations and these are the basis of evidence-gathering. The six grave violations are Killing and maiming of children; Abduction of children; Recruitment or use of children in armed forces and armed groups; Rape or other grave sexual violence; Attacks on schools and hospitals and staff; denial of humanitarian access to children.
In many conflicts, children recruited by armed groups take direct part in combat. However, their role is often not limited to fighting. Many girls and boys are also used in support functions that also entail great risk and hardship. Their tasks can vary, from combatants to cooks, spies, messengers and even sex slaves. Moreover, the use of children in acts of terrorism, including suicide bombers, has emerged as a phenomenon of modern warfare.
Understanding who is affected and how they are affected can lead to better addressing the specific needs of boys and girls. Therefore, a sound analysis of children’s involvement, their needs, and rights, as well as information and knowledge exchange with other units and non-military actors, is indispensable for a comprehensive understanding of the civil environment.
CPP: Cultural Property Protection
To protect and respect cultural property by own actions and to avoid, as much as possible, the risks to cultural property caused by others.
Cultural property (CP) is an important part of a people’s identity. It can reflect their heritage, their values, and their religion. At the same time, it is very fragile and, if damaged, might be irreparable. Therefore it requires constant and careful consideration during a mission. Protection of Cultural Property should also pay attention to intangible cultural heritage such as performing arts, rituals, festive events, etc. Intangible cultural heritage is important in maintaining cultural diversity in the face of growing globalization. An understanding of the intangible cultural heritage of different communities helps with intercultural dialogue and encourages mutual respect for other ways of life.
CPP refers to all measures for the protection of cultural property against damage, destruction, theft, embezzlement, or other loss. In immovable cultural property the term "monument protection" is used. Bound by international law and its positive contribution to a safe and secure environment, the military, and especially CIMIC, must take both a support position and a proactive stand regarding CPP.”
Illicit trade in all kind of art can be a source of income for (illegal) armed forces and, as such, is directly connected to the duration of an armed conflict.
CIMIC analysis and assessment against CP factors is an integral aspect contributing to the understanding of the civil environment and, therefore, indispensable for the protection of CP and, eventually, mission success.[3]
WPS: Women, Peace and Security
Promotes a gender perspective, protection of and women's equal and meaningful participation in peace processes, peacebuilding and security.
The WPS agenda of today is the product of more than a century of international women’s peace activism. The agenda, which integrates gender perspectives and gender mainstreaming, started with UN Security Council Resolution (UNSCR) 1325 in 2000, followed by several related Resolutions. [4]
The foundation of the WPS agenda builds on two separate but equal concepts: protection from sexual violence and increasing participation of women in all areas (political, social, military and economic). Integrated and interconnected, these concepts provide the baseline for gender equality.
Special attention to the role women play in the society might be an ignitor for the peace process, provides essential information.
CRSV: Conflict-Related Sexual Violence
CRSV is frequently, deliberately and strategically used to target civilians.
CRSV is defined by NATO as rape, sexual slavery, forced prostitution, forced pregnancy, forced abortion, forced sterilization, forced marriage and any other form of sexual violence of comparable gravity perpetrated against women, men, girls or boys that is directly or indirectly linked to a conflict.[5]
In conflict and post-conflict settings, sexual violence is used as a tactic of war, torture, terror, and political repression. Some groups are more vulnerable than others, such as IDPs, widows, migrants, female heads of households, detainees, people with disabilities, and specific ethnic and minority groups.
CRSV is not simply a gross violation of human rights but also a security challenge. Wartime rape fuels displacement, weakens governance, and destabilizes communities, thereby preventing post-conflict reconciliation and endangering long-term stability.
CIMIC could support further collection of data and awareness raising on causalities between gender inequalities, levels of violence against women, men, boys and girls and the potential for violent conflict.
SEA: Sexual Exploitation and Abuse
Focuses on own behaviour - NATO prohibited its own personnel from engaging in or facilitating any form of SEA.
Sexual harassment and exploitation have been a subject that militaries, including NATO and organisations around the world, have had to grapple with for decades. However, in the past couple of years, NATO has made a concerted effort to address gender disparities and sexual exploitation and harassment.
Sexual Exploitation is defined by NATO as any actual or attempted abuse of a position of vulnerability, differential power or trust, for sexual purposes, including, but not limited to, profiting monetarily, socially or politically from the sexual exploitation of another.
Sexual Abuse is any actual or threatened physical intrusion of a sexual nature, whether by force or under unequal or coercive conditions.
The SEA policy clearly outlines NATO’s zero-tolerance approach and defines unacceptable behaviours, how to prevent them, and how Allies will work collectively to ensure accountability. Member states are responsible for all investigations of sexual misconduct complaints, with NATO itself only providing preliminary investigations.
Figure 6.3 Differences between sexual harassmen, SEA and CRSV Source: Bi-SC 040-001,
Integrating Gender Perspective into the NATO Command Structure
The policy notes that sexual harassment and exploitation are against the inherent principles of NATO and put the organisation and its missions at risk. Thus, the policy ensures that possible risks are identified, analysed, and addressed in any mission planning and that all possible efforts be made to mitigate the danger and, therefore, become subject to CIMIC as well.
CTHB: Combating Trafficking in Human Beings
All efforts taken to prevent, mitigate, counter and respond to trafficking in human beings.
Trafficking in human beings means the recruitment, transportation, transfer, harbouring or receipt of people through force, fraud or deception, with the aim of exploiting them for profit.[6]
Human trafficking is not the same as people smuggling. Smugglers bring migrants across borders for payment and with the migrants' consent. In practice, the distinction between trafficked and smuggled persons is often hazy or even non-existent. Smuggled persons are often forced into slavery or servitude as they struggle to repay the “debts” that they have incurred to smugglers/traffickers. Similarly, many trafficked persons may be refugees and vice versa.
Human trafficking has far-reaching consequences for a person's safety and dignity. Fragile states, forced or irregular migration, poverty, discrimination, and a lack of rule of law are just some of the factors that act as a fertile breeding ground for human trafficking. However, human trafficking is also a source of financing for armed conflicts and violent extremism, which in turn can increase conflict and fragility.
Human trafficking can also negatively impact a mission’s credibility and legitimacy, the integrity and safety of soldiers, the achievement of long-term stability, peace, and overall mission success. Therefore, NATO must consider the different aspects of CTHB in its missions and reinforce the efforts and commitments of other international organisations to prevent and combat it.
A concerted and sound analysis and assessment of CTHB by CIMIC will contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the civil environment and, thus, support the prevention and combatting of it. Moreover, it may prevent the accidental involvement or facilitation of NATO members in human trafficking.
BI: Building Integrity
Promote good governance and implement the principles of integrity, transparency and accountability.
BI is a measure to fight corruption without reducing the efficiency of the security apparatus. It focuses on motivation rather than punishment. The NATO BI programme provides practical tools to reduce the risk of corruption in the defence and security sectors. It promotes good practices, processes and methodologies and provides countries with tailored support to make defence and security institutions more effective and efficient.
Corruption in the joint operation area is not only a risk for the mission personnel but also undermines all stabilisation efforts due to its strong link to terrorism, criminal organisations and armed opposition groups. Corruption provides resources (e.g. financial and human) for these groups and affects the efficiency of local security forces and governmental institutions. Fighting corruption helps to establish a safe and secure environment. Moreover, supporting a BI programme could increase public trust in the mission through higher legitimacy. This means that the local population will be more likely to accept and support the mission. These aspects will contribute to force security and more sustainable mission results. Corruption is a major source of social unrest, fuels regional conflict and acts as a key source of instability. There is a clear correlation between corruption, violence and instability. The most corrupt countries in the world often are the scene of insurgencies, extremist activity, or other threats to international security.
BI requires analysis capacities and progress to be assessed. Most of the BI-related factors are situated outside the military realm and become subject to CIMIC. Therefore, CIMIC supports the inclusion of integrity concerns, which might be particularly relevant when interacting with the civil environment and have to be considered during assessment.[7]
Human Security
Human Security has been around in the UN context since 1994 but mostly in a development context. It began as an effort to move away from the dominant ‘national security’ approach of competing states and geopolitical blocs and to present a framework for understanding what security might mean for individuals. It aimed to promote well-being as much as provide protection by reshaping and redirecting security practices and resources. It’s based on the idea that humans should have freedom from fear, freedom from want and dignity.
Human Security places the human being at the centre, considering that the main foundation of peace and security rests on satisfying the basic needs of all persons, enabling them to fully exercise their social, cultural, political and economic rights, and being governed by legitimate authorities. Accordingly, it includes economic, nutritional, health, environmental, personal, community and political dimensions.
For NATO, the term human security relates to risks and threats to populations where NATO has operations, missions or activities and how to mitigate and respond to them.[1] Human Security comes out of our PoCs concept and the idea that everything we do needs to be population-centric. It means that NATO takes a proactive approach to protection and that the affected people have to be at the heart of all that we do. NATO recognises the importance of reducing the impact of its actions on civilians in conflict zones and wherever else it may be conducting activities.
In 2022, NATO adopted a framing document outlining its approach to human security, bringing together the CCTs: PoCs, CAAC, CRSV, CPP and CRSV, as well as an overarching gender perspective.
Figure 6.4. NATO’s Human Security Umbrella Source: NATO Secretary General’s Annual Report 2022
Fieldworker: CCT and understanding the civil environment
As a fieldworker, you will play an important role in building an understanding of the civil environment. The main role is collecting information from the local population and partners. Focusing on CCTs will provide you with a wide range of topics important for creating an understanding of the Civil environment. Especially those CCTs mentioned in the mandate of the exercise or in the Orders should be paid extra attention to. Reporting forms used for this purpose can be owned, nationally developed, or the forms available in the CIMIC Handbook.
The reporting of observations that the fieldworker produces serves three important purposes. Firstly, the observations serve to supplement and strengthen the Understanding of the Civil Environment. Secondly, the observations can be used to inform HNs, IOs, NGOs, and other humanitarian players in the mission area about CCT-related aspects that require attention. Finally, the reports of the observations can be used as battlefield evidence for possible future legal charges against violators of the IHL or LOAC.
A Fieldworker does not play an active role in the unit's planning; however, to understand the mission's tasks and objectives, the fieldworker should have knowledge of the Ops order and/ or Joint Coordination Order (JCO) as well as additional FRAGOs. This includes not only the CCT-related assignments but also the unit's general mission. The main Annex for CIMIC-related tasks and information is Annex W.
Participate in the development of a Cultural Property List and Critical National Infrastructure List, Partners/ Contacts (IO/ GO/ NGO) list,
Background documents: See the overview under the Staff Workers Chapter.
Staff worker: CCT in plan development and execution
In general, J9 will ensure that CCTs, although a whole HQ responsibility, are duly considered during the whole planning process, identifying and assessing all possible impacts the emerging crisis and its actors, as well as its own operations, may have on CCTs.
During the Strategic Plan Development, J9 staff will have to facilitate the consideration of CCTs in all stages and products of planning, ensuring CCTs are covered by all OAs and OEs. If required, dedicated Annexes for CCTs might be developed in exceptions.
During Phase 4A, the Operations Plan Development, the focus should be on ensuring CCT requirements are considered in operational actions and covered by the achievement of defined operational effects; if additional information is required, the JOPG should evaluate the by the CIMIC Staff developed Annexes/ appendixes. The Staff worker is participating in the development of Annex W and additional appendixes focussing on CCT related content.
During Phase 5, Execution, the Staff worker continuous the development of Understanding the Civil environment. The Staff worker participates in relevant Working Groups and boards (Joint Targeting Coordination Board, Joint Defended Assets Working Group, Force Protection Working Group and others if required) with special attention to relevant information related to the CCTs. If required, the Staff worker will participate in the Crisis Action Team during crisis and time-sensitive action.
For details about planning, see Chapter 5 of this handbook
Relevant documents
PoC
- PO(2016) 0407 NATO Policy for POC dated 9 July 2016
- PO(2017)0055 Action plan for the implementation of the NATO policy for the protection of civilians dated 6 Feb 2017
- MC 0668 Concept for the Protection of Civilians dated 25 April 2018
- Bl-SC Dir 086-006: Implementing protection of Civilians in NATO operations, missions and activities dated 14 Sept 2022
- PoC Handbook dated 2019
CAAC
- NATO Policy on Children and Armed Conflict dated 12 July 2023
- PO (2015) 0165 Final Approval of prot. CAAC Way Forward dated 27 May 2015
- MCM-0104-2015 action plan
- MCM-0016-2012, Children and Armed Conflict (CAAC), dated 10 July 2012
- BI-SC Dir 086-004 Children And Armed Conflict dated 10 June 2016
CPP
- BI-SC Dir 086-005, Implementing Cultural Property Protection in NATO Operations and Missions dated 01 April 2019
- N.b. Own policy for CPP is expected in mid-2025. Until then the PoC policy, Action plan and Concept are the placeholders.
WPS
- NATO Policy on Women, Peace and Security 2024 dated 11 July 2024
- PO(2021)0336 NATO/EAPC Action plan for the implementation of the NATO/EAPC Policy on Women, Peace and Security 2021 - 2025 dated 21 Oct 2021
- BI-SC DIR 040-001(Rev.3), Integrating Gender Perspective into the NATO Command Structure dated 20 Oct 2021
CRSV
- PO(2021)0190 NATO Policy on Preventing and Responding to CRSV dated 31 May 2021
- MCM 0009-2015, Military guidelines on the prevention of, and response to conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence
- BI-SC DIR 040-001 (Rev.3), Integrating Gender Perspective into NATO Command Structure dated 20 Oct 2021
CTH
- NATO Policy on Combatting Trafficking in Human Beings dated 12 July 2023
SEA
- PO(2019)0459(INV) NATO Policy on Preventing and Responding to Sexual Exploitation and Abuse dated 20 November 2019
BI
- PO(2016) 0310 NATO Building Integrity Policy dated 19 May 2016
- IMSM-0122-2021 NATO Building Integrity action plan for 2021 - 2025 dated 25 May 2021
- PO(2021) 0050 Action plan 2021 - 2025
- MC 0697 Mil Concept for BI in operations dated 12 Feb 2021
- ACO directive 086-005 Implementing BI in Operations dated 01 Feb 2019
[1] Figure 6.1 displays the CCTs under the human security umbrella as yellow hexagons.
[2] Mitigate Harm is the Militaries primary focus. It is to avoid collateral damage to civilians by own actions, avoid urban battles and improved targeting and also trying to stop adversary from committing hostile actions against civilians.
[3] E. Pandolfi, et al., (2020). ‘Safeguarding Cultural Property. Creating a NATO Information and Knowledge Management System for Cultural Property’ NATO NEDP, pp. 21, 29 and 34.
[4]The Security Council has adopted 10 resolutions on Women, Peace and Security (WPS): Security Council Resolutions 1325 (2000), 1820 (2008), 1888 (2008), 1889 (2009), 1960 (2010), 2106 (2013), 2122 (2013), 2242 (2015), 2467 (2019), and 2493 (2019).
[5] NATO Policy on Preventing and Responding to CRSV (2021)
[6] Guidelines for NATO staff on preventing the promotion and facilitation of trafficking in human beings (2004)
[7] Building Integrity (BI): A CCOE fact sheet. (n.d.). CIMIC-COE.Org. p. 2. Retrieved 20 April 2022, from https://www.handbook.cimic-coe.org/8.-annex/8.2-factsheets/final-ccoe-factsheet-building-integrity.pdf
[8] NATO Human Security- Approach and Guiding Principles, (2022)