U.S. Skips NATO Forum on Civilian Harm Mitigation, Leaving Allies to Lead

The International Contact Group on Civilian Harm Mitigation and Response is convening at NATO headquarters in Belgium without any U.S. representatives, after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth eliminated the civilian-protection mission his department had built with European allies. Launched in 2022, the CHMR framework aimed to collect strike data and embed advisers to reduce non-combatant harm, a response to civilian casualties in Afghanistan, Iraq and later operations against ISIS.

Former official Jenny McAvoy warned that abandoning the program could have serious consequences, especially as reports indicate increasing civilian deaths in Iran. The coalition, originally co-led by the United States and the Netherlands, now operates under the leadership of the U.K. and the Netherlands, with participation from countries such as Austria, Australia, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway. Advocacy groups and scholars say the shift may force NATO and European partners to assume greater responsibility for civilian protection standards. Some see the U.S. retreat as an opportunity for more durable, multilateral reforms less subject to changes in American administrations.