A civilian is a person who does not serve in the military, police or other governmental forces. The term is also used for people who have no connection to the military and are not involved in armed conflict, such as those who volunteer to help in disaster relief efforts or work for civil societies, such as the Red Cross or the United Nations.
Civilians are the main victims of war. The protection of civilians is a cornerstone of international humanitarian law and the Charter of the United Nations. Civilians suffer appalling harm in armed conflicts in many places in the world, including Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine and many other countries.
During the course of an armed conflict, civilians are exposed to the dangers of direct participation in hostilities and other forms of indiscriminate attack. As a result, they must be afforded special protection under international humanitarian law, both during hostilities and in the aftermath of the cessation of hostilities. This includes the right to freedom of movement and the right to leave an area of armed conflict, in accordance with the applicable provisions of the laws of war (API Arts. 45.1 and 51.3).
When civilians become caught up in armed conflict, they must be guaranteed safe, rapid and unhindered access to medical care. Civilians must be informed of the risks posed to them by the use of weapons in the context of an armed conflict and must be allowed to seek refuge from the armed conflict. This obligation is reflected in both the ICRC’s Code of Conduct and its Declaration on the Protection of Civilian Persons during Armed Conflicts.
The distinction between civilians and combatants is crucial because the protection of civilians during armed conflict forms one of the core principles of the Geneva Conventions on the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War and the Additional Protocols to the Geneva Conventions of 12 August 1949, concerning the Protection of Victims of International Armed Conflicts. It is also a key component of the EU’s common security and defence policy (CSDP).
For service members who transition to civilian life, there can be many differences. For example, while the military has a lot of structure and schedules, civilian jobs often have much less set routines. Additionally, many service members were able to get health insurance coverage through their military service, but in civilian life, they may have to pay monthly premiums and co-pays when they see a doctor or fill a prescription.
Another major difference is that the friendships and community that service members built with their military crew can sometimes be hard to re-establish in civilian life. This can be especially difficult when civilians do not understand the unique challenges and experiences that service members face, or when their friends in civilian groups don’t have a shared background. It is important to take this into consideration when building new relationships in civilian life. It will make the transition back to civilian life a much smoother process.