Not every conflict is marked by full-fledged outright warfare and heavy fighting. Many countries are caught in a grey zone between war and peace: armed conflict may erupt sporadically in parts of the country, and may tend to intensify or to subside. In these situations, it is often the diversity of entities providing protection and their mandates that helps to cover a wide range of needs. Relevant activities may include the delivery of humanitarian assistance; the monitoring and recording of violations of international humanitarian and human rights law, and reporting these violations to those responsible and other decision-makers; institution-building, governance and development programmes; and, ultimately, the deployment of peacekeeping troops. The scope of protection has grown in the last decades in an effort to meet the challenges of contemporary war.

In each case, these activities will have to be adapted to the specific requirements of the situation, and to the needs, structure and sensitivities of the affected population.

	Protection efforts must be focused on the individual rather than the security interests of the state whose primary function is precisely, to ensure the security of its civilian population

The primary responsibility for the protection of civilians rests with Governments, as stated in the Guiding Principles on Humanitarian Assistance adopted by General Assembly Resolution 46/182 of 19 December 1991. At the same time, armed groups have a direct responsibility, according to Common Article 3 of the four Geneva Conventions and to customary international humanitarian law, to protect civilian populations in armed conflict. International instruments require not only governments but also armed groups to behave responsibly in conflict situations, and to take measures to ensure the protection of civilian population and that their basic needs are met.

The most effective way of accomplishing this, of course, is by preventing violent conflict from erupting in the first place. If this fails no effort should be spared to end a conflict and build sustainable peace. Protection must be enhanced, but it is not a solution in its own right, and should not be seen as such.