In the heat of a military conflict, all too often it’s civilians who bear the highest cost.  

Food, water and energy can be restricted—or cut off entirely. Essential services like hospitals, schools, and public transport can be stretched to the limit or simply not able to operate in line with needs. 

Protecting civilians in conflict zones is central to our work 

Humanitarian work in conflict zones relies on strong coordination, clear dialogue, and practical problem‑solving to keep assistance moving where it is needed most. In this complex conflict landscape, humanitarians are working to protect and support civilians caught in the wake.  

Thanks to dedicated support from the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth Development Office (FCDO), RedR Australia currently has two roster members working in roles committed to strengthening engagement between military actors and humanitarian organisations, including efforts that help reduce risks to civilians in complex conflict environments. 

These two civil-military coordination officers are working in very different contexts, but their aim is the same: to enable safe, principled, and effective humanitarian operations in the heat of complex military conflicts—whether by facilitating access, improving information exchange, or supporting the safety of civilians and humanitarian personnel. 

‘Holding the humanitarian line’ in Palestine 

For our roster member Stephen, who has been deployed to OCHA OPT (Occupied Palestinian Territory) as a civil-military coordination officer for the past 6 months, supporting communities in Gaza has been a valuable and demanding role. 

“In Gaza, I help with very practical things: a humanitarian supply collection going ahead, facilitating medical evacuations, rescuing injured people,” said Stephen. 

While most of Stephen’s deployment has been based in a remote location, he has visited the teams in Gaza. This experience on the ground made clear how, while much humanitarian work is indirect, it is still essential.  

“Civil-military coordination doesn’t put you in the convoy or at the hospitals, but it does help create the conditions that allow those teams to reach people safely,” said Stephen.  

“When a bit of coordination meant someone got evacuated or assistance reached people without unnecessary delays, that felt like a small but meaningful contribution to alleviating suffering in a very difficult context.” 

While it’s challenging work, it’s also highly rewarding. Constantly balancing humanitarian principles and logistical realities, when it all comes together it makes a very real difference. 

“Civil-military coordination sits at the intersection of principle and pragmatism—you have to hold the humanitarian line while also finding workable solutions in imperfect conditions,” said Stephen.   

“It’s demanding, but it’s also a role where you can see the impact of your work almost immediately.” 

Diplomacy—a key skill for humanitarians 

Stephen started his career working with the Australian government and was posted to countries that included Sri Lanka and Iraq—locations that are well versed in conflict and civil unrest. These experiences gave him a solid foundation for working in complex humanitarian environments.  

Now, with 20 years’ experience working across the world for the Australian government, the United Nations and the World Bank, he has well-practiced skills in diplomacy and coordination. 

“Diplomacy trained me to listen carefully, ask the right questions, and understand how decisions are shaped by competing pressures,” said Stephen.  

“In Gaza, where political and humanitarian considerations collide constantly, that background helped me navigate sensitive discussions without losing sight of the humanitarian objective.” 

Civil-military coordination also requires a high level of operational awareness, and a high tolerance for ambiguity.  

“This role sits in the uncomfortable space between humanitarian needs and military realities,” said Stephen. “So being able to communicate clearly, stay principled, and not get rattled is essential. The instinct to ask, ‘what’s actually the problem here?’ saved a lot of time.” 

It’s all about relationships 

Navigating complex partnerships and relationships is also crucial for the role. 

“Civil-military coordination only works if people trust each other enough to be honest when things get complicated,” said Stephen.  

“In this role, I’m speaking with military counterparts, as well as the UN, NGOs, and others who sit in the middle trying to keep humanitarian space open. 

“Navigating those different perspectives and finding common ground—even temporarily—is challenging, but it’s a part of the work I genuinely enjoy.” 

Working behind the scenes to make a real difference 

Stephen’s current role with OCHA OPT is his second deployment with RedR Australia as a civil-military coordinator. His first, to Sudan in 2022, was very different.

“Sudan was a fully in‑country deployment and spread across a huge geography, with a slow‑burn political crisis shaping everything,” said Stephen. “The work there was about trying to anticipate issues and prevent things from deteriorating further.”  

Gaza has been the opposite: extremely concentrated, extremely fast‑moving, and requiring constant adaptation as hostilities escalated or de-escalated.  

“My time in Gaza has been much shorter, but the intensity is much higher,” said Stephen. 

However, Stephen has found that the rewards are similar.  

“It is very rewarding knowing that good coordination—even when it’s behind the scenes—can make a real operational difference for people who need assistance.” 

Stephen also points out that while the work of humanitarians is important, it’s the affected communities demonstrating real strength. 

“Humanitarians do what they can, but the real strength comes from the communities who endure the consequences every day,” said Stephen.  

“Seeing that resilience up close—and contributing to the wider response in whatever way I could—is something I’m proud of, even knowing my role was just one small part of a much larger effort.” 

Working across Africa to protect civilians 

While Stephen is working at the sharp end of an active conflict, another RedR Australia roster member is tackling the same challenge from a different angle.  

Based in Addis Ababa, RedR Australia roster member Mohamed is also working as a civil-military coordination officer. And while his role with the OCHA African Union Liaison Office (AULO) is working at a different level, his core objective remains the same—to create safer aid corridors and protect essential services for vulnerable communities. 

After working for the UN in the Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Somalia and Niger, Mohamed’s current role marks a shift from country-level operations to a continental mandate.  

The changing landscape of conflicts in Africa 

Seconded to the African Union’s Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (HHS), Mohamed works at the intersection of continental policy and complex humanitarian operations.  

Tasked with monitoring current hotspot nations—including Sudan, the Democratic People’s Republic of Congo (DRC), South Sudan, Mozambique, Somalia and the Sahel—Mohamed notes that current trends mean access to people in need is narrowing, with control over basic resources becoming a key flashpoint between armed actors and civilian populations. 

The growing use of cheap, sophisticated drones in urban areas like Goma is disrupting the coordination systems that keep aid workers safe—and essential services, particularly water, are increasingly being compromised. 

Protecting civilian infrastructure through policy and training 

Mohamed’s role aims to establish a reliable civil-military coordination framework that aligns with global humanitarian standards and can be used across the African Union. 

His goal is to protect civilian infrastructure and ensure high-level policy discussions translate into safer aid corridors and protected essential services for vulnerable communities. 

“My goal is not only to contribute to policy development, but to ensure that high-level discussions ultimately help create safer aid corridors in Sudan and more secure water points in the Sahel,” said Mohamed. 

With four months still to go, Mohamed's work is ongoing—but his ambition to strengthen relationships across the African Union and develop impactful policy and training materials is already clear. 

Learn more about how RedR Australia’s roster members are protecting communities around the world.