Center for Civilians in Conflict
A United States-based international nonprofit that works with civilians, governments, and armed actors to prevent, mitigate, and respond to civilian harm in conflict.
Last updated October 14, 2026
AI crawler reads
No AI crawler has read this profile since Oct 28, 2026.
Overview
The Center for Civilians in Conflict, commonly known as CIVIC, is a Washington, D.C.-based nonprofit and nongovernmental organization focused on protecting civilians affected by armed conflict. Its work combines field research, direct engagement with communities and armed actors, policy advocacy, and institutional reform. CIVIC seeks to reduce civilian harm before, during, and after military operations by helping decision-makers understand the experiences of affected people and by promoting practical changes in doctrine, training, operations, accountability, and assistance. The organization was founded in 2003 by activist and humanitarian Marla Ruzicka under the name Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict. Ruzicka established the group in response to the limited attention given to civilian casualties during the U.S.-led war in Iraq. One of CIVIC's early methods was extensive door-to-door surveying: the organization deployed approximately 160 surveyors in Iraq to document civilian deaths, injuries, property loss, and other consequences of conflict. This evidence was used to press military and political authorities to acknowledge civilian harm and provide meaningful assistance. CIVIC expanded its work into Afghanistan and other conflict settings and developed relationships with U.S. government institutions, NATO, the United Nations, the African Union, peacekeeping missions, governments, and civil-society organizations. Its advocacy contributed to the adoption of an amends policy for Afghan war victims by NATO and to increased emphasis within the International Security Assistance Force on reducing civilian casualties. The organization has also studied civilian protection in Pakistan, Ukraine, Mali, the Central African Republic, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, among other locations. Ruzicka was killed by a suicide bomb in Baghdad in April 2005, together with her driver. Her colleagues, friends, and family continued the organization’s work. In 2005, U.S. legislation renamed a civilian war-victim assistance fund as the Marla Ruzicka Iraqi War Victim Fund. CIVIC hired its first staff members in early 2006 and broadened its mandate beyond Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007. In 2012, the organization adopted its current name, Center for Civilians in Conflict. The change reflected a broader mandate and an emphasis on civilians as a diverse population rather than only on victims categorized as innocent. CIVIC describes its approach through four connected ideas: recognition, prevention, protection, and amends. Recognition involves documenting civilian experiences and creating space for affected communities to identify and discuss harm. Prevention and protection involve changing policies and practices so that armed operations better safeguard civilians. Amends concerns respectful acknowledgment, explanation, assistance, and other forms of response when civilians are harmed. CIVIC’s work includes research reports, community interviews, training and advice for security institutions, engagement with peacekeeping organizations, and advocacy directed at national and international policymakers. Its 2021–2025 strategic plan emphasized work with communities, multinational bodies and coalitions, governments and armed actors, and civil society. The plan identified urban warfare, civilian protection in security-force assistance and partnerships, and improved tools for assessing and responding to civilian harm as major priorities. The organization is headquartered in Washington, D.C., and has maintained additional offices in The Hague and Geneva, with regional presence or offices in New York, Nigeria, Yemen, and Ukraine. It previously operated offices in Afghanistan and Iraq, where it conducted extensive programming before closing those operations. CIVIC is an advocacy and research organization rather than a conventional consumer brand; its principal outputs are evidence, policy recommendations, institutional support, and civilian-protection programs.
History
CIVIC began in 2003 as the Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict, founded by Marla Ruzicka in response to civilian casualties and unmet civilian needs during the Iraq war. Ruzicka and her colleagues used direct community engagement, including door-to-door surveys, to gather information about deaths, injuries, displacement, property destruction, and other effects of military operations. The organization used this evidence to advocate for recognition and practical assistance for people unintentionally harmed by conflict. The group’s early work centered on Iraq and later Afghanistan. It received support from U.S. government sources and other funders while advocating for changes in how military institutions assessed and addressed civilian harm. CIVIC’s research and advocacy in Afghanistan helped prompt NATO to approve an amends policy for Afghan war victims. It also contributed to greater emphasis by the International Security Assistance Force on civilian-harm mitigation and tactics intended to reduce civilian casualties. Ruzicka was killed with her driver by a suicide bomb in Baghdad in April 2005. After her death, CIVIC was continued by her colleagues, friends, and family. Later that year, U.S. legislation renamed a civilian war-victim assistance fund the Marla Ruzicka Iraqi War Victim Fund. The organization hired its first staff members in early 2006 and expanded its mandate beyond Iraq and Afghanistan in 2007. In 2009, CIVIC published research on civilian harm in northwest Pakistan. The report linked civilian losses to broader conditions of poverty and criticized weaknesses in compensation mechanisms and the limited assistance available to affected families. More generally, CIVIC’s research has argued that official civilian-casualty counts can understate the human cost of war and that assistance mechanisms often fail to reach many people who have suffered harm. In 2012, the organization changed its name to the Center for Civilians in Conflict. The rebranding signaled a broader and more inclusive understanding of civilians in conflict, while retaining the organization’s emphasis on documentation, advocacy, and institutional change. CIVIC’s model is organized around recognition, prevention, protection, and amends. It documents civilian experiences, supports communities in articulating their needs, engages military and political institutions, and promotes respectful and tangible responses after harm occurs. The organization expanded its geographic and thematic portfolio during the 2010s. In 2015 it released four reports describing how it would respond to growing demand for civilian-protection expertise. In 2016 it studied the capacity of Ukraine’s military and Ministry of Defense to protect civilians and opened two field offices in Nigeria. In 2017 it renewed research and advocacy in Mali and examined protection mandates and resource constraints affecting United Nations peacekeeping operations in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. CIVIC’s work has involved engagement with NATO, the United Nations, the African Union, national governments, armed forces, peacekeeping missions, and local civil-society actors. Its programs have included policy development, operational advice, research, training, community consultation, and advocacy for mechanisms that acknowledge civilian harm and provide assistance. The organization previously maintained offices and substantial programming in Afghanistan and Iraq before closing operations there. The 2021–2025 strategic plan framed CIVIC’s next phase around four stakeholder groups: communities; multinational bodies and coalitions; governments and armed actors; and civil society. It identified urban warfare, protection in security-force assistance and partnerships, and improved tools for measuring and responding to civilian harm as central priorities. CIVIC remains an international nonprofit headquartered in Washington, D.C., with additional offices in The Hague and Geneva and regional presence in locations including New York, Nigeria, Yemen, and Ukraine.
- 2021
2021–2025 strategic plan is published
[1]The plan prioritizes urban warfare, security-force assistance, partnerships, and improved civilian-harm assessment tools.
- 2017
Research and advocacy expands in Mali and Central Africa
[1]CIVIC resumes work in Mali and publishes research on protection mandates and resources in United Nations peacekeeping operations.
- 2016
Ukraine civilian-protection assessment is conducted
[1]CIVIC completes a six-month study of civilian-protection capabilities and gaps in Ukraine’s defense institutions.
- 2012
Organization rebrands as Center for Civilians in Conflict
[1]The new name reflects an inclusive focus on civilians affected by conflict rather than a narrower emphasis on innocent victims.
- 2007
Mandate expands beyond Iraq and Afghanistan
[1]CIVIC broadens its geographic and institutional focus to address civilian protection across a wider range of conflicts.
- 2006
First staff members are hired
[1]The organization begins formal staffing after operating through its early activist and volunteer-led phase.
- 2005
Founder Marla Ruzicka is killed in Baghdad
[1]Ruzicka and her driver die in a suicide bombing. The organization continues under the leadership of colleagues, friends, and family.
- 2005
Iraqi war-victim fund is renamed
[1]U.S. legislation renames a civilian war-victim assistance fund the Marla Ruzicka Iraqi War Victim Fund.
- 2003
Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict is founded
[1]Marla Ruzicka establishes the organization in response to civilian casualties and inadequate assistance during the Iraq war.
Products and positioning
An evidence-led civilian-protection NGO that connects affected communities with governments, armed actors, peacekeeping institutions, and policymakers to reduce harm and improve responses when civilians are harmed.
Research and policy analysis · 2003
Civilian-harm research
CIVIC conducts interviews, surveys, field assessments, and institutional analysis to document how armed conflict affects civilians. Its research examines deaths, injuries, displacement, property damage, livelihood losses, protection gaps, and the performance of compensation or amends mechanisms. Findings are developed into reports and recommendations for governments, armed actors, peacekeeping missions, and international organizations.
Advisory and institutional support
Civilian-protection advisory support
The organization works with military, security, governmental, and multinational institutions to improve policies and operational practices intended to prevent and mitigate civilian harm. Engagement may address doctrine, planning, training, civilian-harm tracking, community engagement, and responses to incidents involving civilians.
Peacekeeping and multilateral policy
Peacekeeping protection analysis
CIVIC assesses how United Nations peacekeeping operations deliver civilian protection in complex environments. Its work has considered mission mandates, field capabilities, base closures, resource constraints, and relationships with local communities and national authorities.
Humanitarian policy and advocacy
Amends and civilian assistance advocacy
CIVIC advocates for mechanisms that acknowledge civilian harm and provide respectful, tangible assistance to affected people. The concept of amends can include explanations, recognition, condolence, financial or material assistance, and institutional changes designed to prevent recurrence.
Marketing campaigns
- 2017Central African peacekeeping protection advocacy
Central African Republic
CIVIC advocated for stronger civilian-protection capabilities in the United Nations peacekeeping mission in the Central African Republic and published analysis of the mission’s protection mandate.
Outcome. The organization contributed research and public recommendations concerning the mission’s ability to deliver on its protection responsibilities.
- 2008Afghanistan civilian protection and amends advocacy
Afghanistan · NATO · Belgium
CIVIC used research in Afghanistan and advocacy with NATO and policymakers to press for stronger civilian-harm mitigation and assistance for Afghan war victims.
Outcome. NATO approved an amends policy for Afghan war victims, while ISAF placed greater operational emphasis on reducing civilian harm.
- 2003Iraq civilian-harm documentation campaign
Iraq · United States
CIVIC used door-to-door surveying and community interviews to document civilian casualties and other losses arising from the Iraq conflict, building evidence for policy advocacy and assistance.
Outcome. The work established CIVIC’s field-based documentation model and supported advocacy for greater recognition and assistance for civilian victims.
Brand decisions
2021
2021–2025 strategic prioritiesStrategyBackground
CIVIC assessed changing patterns of conflict and the need for stronger civilian-protection tools across military, governmental, multilateral, and community settings.
Action taken
The organization prioritized urban warfare, civilian protection in security-force assistance and partnerships, and new approaches to measuring and responding to civilian harm.
Aftermath
The plan established a framework for expanding work with communities, multinational bodies, governments and armed actors, and civil society.
2012
Adoption of the Center for Civilians in Conflict identityStrategyBackground
The organization concluded that its former name did not fully describe the breadth of civilians affected by conflict or the scope of its work.
Action taken
It changed its name from Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict to Center for Civilians in Conflict.
Aftermath
The rebrand accompanied a broader mandate covering civilian protection, prevention, recognition, and responses to harm across multiple conflict settings.
Recent events
- 2021
CIVIC releases its 2021–2025 strategic plan[1]
Other
The strategic plan set priorities around urban warfare, civilian protection in security-force assistance and partnerships, and new methods for assessing and responding to civilian harm.
- 2017
CIVIC renews work on civilian protection in Mali and peacekeeping missions[1]
Other
CIVIC re-established a research and advocacy project in Mali and published assessments concerning civilian-protection mandates and resources in the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
- 2016
CIVIC publishes research on civilian protection in Ukraine[1]
Other
CIVIC completed a six-month assessment of civilian-protection capabilities, gaps, and opportunities within Ukraine’s military and Ministry of Defense.
- 2016
CIVIC opens two field offices in Nigeria[1]
Other
The organization expanded its field presence in Nigeria through the opening of two offices, supporting its broader civilian-protection work in conflict-affected settings.
- 2012
Organization adopts the Center for Civilians in Conflict name[1]
Other
The Campaign for Innocent Victims in Conflict rebranded as the Center for Civilians in Conflict to reflect a more inclusive focus on civilians affected by conflict.
- 2007
CIVIC expands its mandate beyond Iraq and Afghanistan[1]
Other
Following the hiring of its first staff members in 2006, the organization broadened its geographic and policy mandate beyond its original focus on Iraq and Afghanistan.
- 2005
Marla Ruzicka is killed in Baghdad[1]
Other
Founder Marla Ruzicka and her driver were killed by a suicide bomb in Baghdad. The organization continued operating after her death, and a U.S. civilian war-victim assistance fund was later renamed in her honor.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/center-for-civilians-in-conflict · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled