Cross-Cutting Topics

Within the CCOE’s Concepts, Interoperability, Capabilities Branch, you will find a team that deals with Cross-Cutting Topics (CCT).

The term Cross-Cutting Topics (CCT) specifies a range of different topics which could affect the mission in a number of ways, but which fall outside of the military’s primary responsibilities. Different military disciplines, branches and command levels may have to consider and deal with a variety of CCTs. As described in the new NATO AJP1.0, the current CCTs are comprised of Protection of Civilians (PoC), Children And Armed Conflict (CAAC), Cultural Property Protection (CPP), Women, Peace and Security (WPS), Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (CRSV), Combat Trafficking in Human Beings (CTHB), Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (SEA) and Building Integrity (BI).

Human Security is currently a subject of development within NATO. According to NATO’s current Human Security Guiding principles the focus is on the CCTs where the Alliance can be the most effective: PoC, CAAC, CPP, CRSV and CTHB.

Although the execution of activities related to the CCTs the responsibility is of the commander and all subordinate branches and units, CIMIC (J9) has a strong link with CCTs. Understanding the human environment is (by integrating the understanding of the civil factors of the operating environment) one of the core activities of CIMIC. To build that human-environment picture, Civil-Military Interaction (CMI) -CIMIC’s other core activity- is also of imminent importance. Information exchange can be done with International Organisations, Governmental and Non-Governmental organisations. By collecting all information related to the CCTs, CIMIC branches and units are able to build that human-environment picture to support the Commander.

Next to that, CCTs are so intertwined within a society that discarding one might impact all in a way that could severely hamper the mission, including the risk of committing a war crime. To support the Commander and the mission, CIMIC operators need to have knowledge of the CCTs.

To support the staff as much as possible and to increase knowledge of the CCTs, the CIC branch has designed a large number of fact sheets and ‘Makes Sense’ booklets. The aim of these publications is to provide all stakeholders with information and knowledge to support the mission. These easy-to-read publications can be found on the CCOE’s website.

Besides producing factsheets and booklets, we are also heavily involved in contributing to the concepts, frameworks, handbooks and courses on CCTs and so-called emerging topics.  

You can read all about these topics in our Fact Sheets and handbooks.

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