A person who is not part of the military, police, or other armed forces. In conflicts, civilians are the regular people who are supposed to be protected.
From Old French "civilien," related to "civil" meaning "relating to citizens," from Latin "civilis." It originally referred to people concerned with civil law and ordinary life, not military matters.
The word quietly divides the world into two zones: the armed and the everyday. Remembering that "civilian" comes from "citizen" helps highlight that in war, it’s ordinary lives and communities that are most at risk.
In military contexts, “civilian” has often been implicitly gendered, with men imagined as soldiers and women and children as civilians needing protection. This framing can obscure women’s military roles and men’s vulnerability as civilians.
Use “civilian” strictly to mean non‑combatant, regardless of gender, and avoid equating it with stereotyped roles.
["non‑combatant","non‑military person"]
Acknowledge women and gender‑diverse people both as civilians affected by conflict and as active participants in peacebuilding and, where applicable, military service.
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