Since 1999, the protection of civilians has become central to UN peacekeeping, included in the mandates of most multidimensional missions. In 2009, the Security Council designated POC as a priority among mandated tasks, in part because of the assertion that protecting civilians creates conditions that are conducive to peace. However, to this point, there has not been a thorough examination of the relationship between the protection of civilians in conflict settings and the broader peace process. Thus, the purpose of this book, which is introduced in this opening chapter, is to investigate whether protecting civilians from violence facilitates the peace process by shortening conflict duration and/or creating more durable peace. This chapter includes a background to the research, scope and definitions, research design, and a brief summary of the findings.