The Libyan Intervention and Responsibility while Protecting

In the aftermath of the contentious NATO-led intervention in Libya, Brazil introduced the novel concept of Responsibility While Protecting (RwP) which sought to address some the major misgivings which had arisen in Libya. Although greeted with an initial energetic response, the RwP has since lost momentum. In this paper we reappraise the merits of the RwP concept and look at how some of the problems with the intervention in Libya stem from the intervening States’ opposition to upholding human rights obligations during military operations. We argue that a more coherent and positive approach by intervening States to their obligations can breathe greater credibility into the RtoP doctrine as a whole. Moreover by fulfilling these obligations States can demonstrate their commitment to the human rights foundations upon which the RtoP is founded and thus offset criticism that they are intervening for purposes other than humanitarian protection.