The responsibility to protect

Since the UN Charter's regime for collective security was established immediately after the Second World War, there have been several significant changes to the global security environment. These, in turn, have created not just political but also legal tensions for the framework then set in place. States have continued to use force unilaterally, justifying their decisions to act preemptively or preventively upon a broad reading of the Charter provisions governing individual and collective self-defence. Particularly after 11 September 2001, states have used force in violation of the territorial integrity of other states believed to be harbouring terrorist organizations. The International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty consulted widely with governments, non-governmental organizations, intergovernmental organizations, universities and think-tanks. On the basis of these extensive consultations, the Commission issued a final report, The Responsibility to Protect (International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty, 2001).