• About CIVIC

    CIVIC is a Washington-based non-profit organization that believes the civilians injured and the families of those killed should be recognized and helped by the warring parties involved.

    On this blog, you will find stories from our travels around the world as we meet with civilians and military, aid organizations and government in our quest to get war victims the help they need.

  • Countries

  • Guest Bloggers

    Ana, working on human rights issues in Afghanistan

    Catherine Philp, journalist and friend of Marla Ruzicka

    Jesse K., traveled to Lebanon to meet victims of cluster munitions

    Marc Garlasco, senior military analyst at HRW, CIVIC board member

    Michael, aid and peace-building expert working in Darfur

    Rebecca A., working with CIVIC's Erica in Afghanistan

    Rebecca W., working with CIVIC's Erica in Afghanistan

    More coming soon!

  • Contributors

    Sarah, Executive Director.

    Marla B, Associate Director.

    Erica, CIVIC's fellow based in Afghanistan

    Jon, CIVIC's US military consultant.

  • Media Content

Iraqi Refugees in Jordan, Najla’s story

Posted By: Marla B.
There are an estimated 750,000 Iraqi refugees now residing in Jordan and another 1 to 1.5 million in Syria. In June, I traveled to Jordan to conduct interviews with families and to talk with them about their experiences. That task proved to be one of the most challenging of my [...]

GUEST BLOGGER: “Next time, I will not vote for Karzai; I will vote for my donkey” – Pt. 1

Posted By: Rebecca W., Erica in Afghanistan
Goli’s hand is twisted and scarred. His leg and chest is also a knot of scars, threading across his skin. His uncle, Haji, still has his foot in a bandage – two years after the ISAF forces mistakenly bombed their village. And his left leg consists principally of bone [...]

GUEST BLOGGER: Civilians Flee to Kandahar City After ISAF Aerial Bombing

Posted By: Rebecca W., Erica in Afghanistan
It was 2am when the aerial bombardment started. Ahmed described to me, in an interview in the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) office in Kandahar, how he and has family huddled together behind a wall. “We said that if we were going to die, we would die together.” [...]

GUEST BLOGGER: Night Raids and Cultural Insensitivity Anger Kandahar Civilians

Posted By: Rebecca W., working with CIVIC’s Erica in Afghanistan
Mohddin is angry. His eyes glare at me while he speaks and he sits on the edge of his chair so that he can lean forward and emphasize his complaints. Unlike the majority of civilians who visit the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC) office in [...]

Shar-e-Cott, pt. 2

Posted By: Erica

I met the elders of Shar-e-Cott, along with the other ACAP staff in the lumber yard of a large construction supply company. ACAP staff had pre-ordered and purchased the shovels, picks, gravel, lumber, wheelbarrows and other materials necessary to build a retention wall and irrigation system for the village of Shar-e-Cott. The retention [...]