Contemporary armed conflicts and other situations of violence have a devastating impact on civilians. The concept of Protection of Civilians was developed by the United Nations, national governments and humanitarian actors to protect populations from the effects of violence in armed conflict and other situations of violence. Protection of Civilians includes all activities aimed at ensuring full respect for the rights of civilians in accordance with the law, including human rights law, international humanitarian law, international criminal law, and international refugee law, and encompasses the most immediate priority of providing physical protection to the more longer-term objectives of promoting the rule of law and security within a state.