R2P: Activating the International Community’s Responsibility to Protect by Shifting Focus Away from Collective Action by the Security Council Towards Early Warning and Prevention

Law, M. 2017. R2P: Activating the International Community’s Responsibility to Protect by Shifting Focus Away from Collective Action by the Security Council Towards Early Warning and Prevention. King's Student Law Review. 8 (1), pp. 88 - 107.

TitleR2P: Activating the International Community’s Responsibility to Protect by Shifting Focus Away from Collective Action by the Security Council Towards Early Warning and Prevention
TypeJournal article
AuthorsLaw, M.
Abstract

The responsibility to protect (R2P) is an expression of policy which aims to prevent mass atrocities or stop them if they are underway. Consensus on the international aspect, which includes when states can or should intervene to protect citizens other than their own, remains elusive. An observer might well conclude that R2P is a noble idea which is short on effectiveness. This article will examine whether R2P can lift off and move from theory to practice. How R2P has developed to date will be considered first, then the obstacles that have hindered its progress and how these might be circumvented. The final focus will be on the elements which need to come together for R2P to be activated. The conclusion will be reached that R2P can only gain real traction by looking past the Security Council to other bodies, within and outside the UN, to work together at the early warning and prevention stage. Consensus on if and when states can intervene militarily to protect is as distant as ever. It will also be concluded that R2P remains a policy aspiration and will not crystallise into a legal norm in the foreseeable future.

JournalKing's Student Law Review
Journal citation8 (1), pp. 88 - 107
Year2017
PublisherKings College London
Publisher's version
Web address (URL)https://blogs.kcl.ac.uk/kslr/
Publication dates
Published2017

Related outputs

The Chagos request: Does it herald a rejuvenation of the International Court of Justice’s advisory function?
Law, M. 2018. The Chagos request: Does it herald a rejuvenation of the International Court of Justice’s advisory function? The Queen Mary Law Journal. Spring 2018 (IX), pp. 25 - 48.

Permalink - https://westminsterresearch.westminster.ac.uk/item/q91x4/r2p-activating-the-international-community-s-responsibility-to-protect-by-shifting-focus-away-from-collective-action-by-the-security-council-towards-early-warning-and-prevention


Share this

Usage statistics

85 total views
90 total downloads
These values cover views and downloads from WestminsterResearch and are for the period from September 2nd 2018, when this repository was created.