About ICRtoP

The International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICRtoP) brings together NGOs from all regions of the world to strengthen normative consensus for RtoP, further the understanding of the norm, push for strengthened capacities to prevent and halt genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity and mobilize NGOs to push for action to save lives in RtoP country-specific situations. The Coalition was founded on 28 January 2009 by representatives of eight regional and international non-governmental organizations (NGOs). There are currently 66 members in the Coalition. Is your organization interested in joining ICRtoP? If so, follow this link. Here’s how to connect with the Coalition: Follow us on Twitter, “like” our Facebook page, join the discussion on LinkedIn, and sign up for our Listserv.

As NGOs, we endorse the Responsibility to Protect as a new international security and human rights norm to address the international community’s failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. We agree to support and uphold the following RtoP principles: The Responsibility to Protect expresses the world’s responsibility to protect populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity. The Coalition commits to support the essential elements of the Responsibility to Protect norm agreed to in Paragraphs 138-139 of the 2005 UN World Summit Outcome Document.

1. States have the primary obligation to protect their populations from genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing. This responsibility also includes prevention of these crimes, including incitement.
2. The international community should, as appropriate, encourage and help States to exercise this responsibility.
3. The international community should support the UN in establishing an early warning capability.
4. The international community also has the responsibility to use appropriate diplomatic, humanitarian and other peaceful means under Chapter VI and VIII of the UN Charter to help protect populations threatened by these crimes.
5. When a state “manifestly fails” in its protection responsibilities, and peaceful means are inadequate, the international community must take stronger measures including Chapter VII measures under the UN Charter, including but not limited to the collective use of force authorized by the Security Council.

In addition, the Coalition supports a full spectrum of responsibility: from the responsibility to prevent, to react, and to rebuild. The Coalition believes the Responsibility to Protect requires the international community to recognize that conflict affects women and men differently. This is an essential first step in developing gendered responses to conflict, empowering women in the prevention and ending of conflicts, and the rebuilding of communities after conflict. Based on this common understanding of RtoP, Coalition Members agree to:

1. Promote these RtoP principles among NGOs, governments, policy-makers and the public.
2. Ensure that RtoP is restricted to genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity, as articulated in the 2005 World Summit Outcome Document.
3. Defend against RtoP being interpreted as a new version of military humanitarian intervention.
4. Guard against the abuse of the norm by governments, regional organizations or international organizations.

Our People

Sapna Chhatpar Considine
Deputy Director

Sapna Chhatpar Considine is the Deputy Director of the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect. Ms. Considne started working on RtoP in 2006 under the World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy’s R2PCS project. Prior to this, Ms. Considine worked for a United States Congressman as the international affairs staffer where she worked to mobilize Congressional leaders against the war in Iraq and draw attention to a variety of human rights crises. She also worked at a civil rights law firm which specialized in class action employment discrimination law. A human rights advocate for the past 12 years, Ms. Considine holds a Master of International Affairs, focusing on Human Rights, from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies from the American University in Washington, DC.

Megan Schmidt
Outreach Officer

Matthew Redding is the Blogger and Social Media Coordinator for the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect. Prior to joining the ICRtoP he was a Project Officer for the Centre for Security Governance and a Program Manager for the Security Governance Group, working on security transitions in fragile and conflict-affected states. He holds a Master’s degree from the Balsillie School of International Affairs’ Global Governance program and completed a Junior Research Fellowship with the Centre for International Governance Innovation during his studies. Matthew was assigned to a research team focusing on the Responsibility to Protect, the product of which was a policy brief that made recommendations for ensuring the norm’s relevance after Libya, Syria and Cote d’Ivoire. Matthew received his B.A. in Arts and Contemporary Studies (History) from Ryerson University where he was also a Research Assistant examining the role of sport in ending apartheid in South Africa.