Preventing civilian casualties
The Ministry of Defence does everything it can to prevent civilian casualties. This is not only mandatory under International Humanitarian Law, it is also a moral obligation. The Ministry of Defence protects civilians from acts of war through the thorough training of its military personnel, through research and investigations and through international agreements.
Protecting civilians
Protecting civilians is an important part of the work of our military personnel and is therefore also part of military training. The Ministry of Defence teaches military personnel about the application of International Humanitarian Law, for example. Prior to deployment, military personnel receive information about the society of the countries where their mission takes place.
War is increasingly taking place in cities, towns and villages. That is why the Netherlands, along with 83 other UN member states, signed a political statement in 2022, to better protect civilians against the impact of deploying explosive weapons in populated areas (EWIPA). Preventing civilian casualties also contributes to public support for Dutch military operations; not only in the area of operations, but also within the Netherlands itself.