Leonard S. Rubenstein Archives - IPI Global ObservatoryIPI Global Observatory

Online Gender-Based Violence and a Path to Justice: Interview with Deqa Yasin

July 8, 2024by Phoebe Donnelly and Mahathi Ayyagari

In this interview, Deqa Yasin recounts her experiences as a Somali Minister and a survivor of online attacks, and talks about the role of the international community in combating online gender-based violence, how women in leadership roles can be supported, and what the future holds for women’s…

“There is No Safe Place for Civilians in Conflict.” Q&A With Hichem Khadhraoui

July 1, 2024by the Global Observatory

It is an especially dangerous time for civilians in conflict. Hichem Khadhraoui, Executive Director at Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC), details a frank assessment of the topic.

Independent Engagement on Counterterrorism with the United Nations: Is the Risk Worth the Reward for Civil Society?

June 24, 2024by Matt Schwartz and Franziska Praxl-Tabuchi

Around the world, states are using UN resolutions, policy guidance, and technical assistance to justify mounting human rights violations, frequently targeting activists and civil society groups. While there is a common desire to see the UN correct its course, for many in civil society, the risks…

Why UN Financing Matters For Effective Multilateralism

June 18, 2024by Max-Otto Baumann and Sebastian Haug

While it may seem paradoxical for the UN to simultaneously have a record budget and face a liquidity crisis, this speaks to the long-standing complexities of UN funding dynamics. A closer look at UN financing provides insights into how UN multilateralism works, or fails to work.

Reflections on “Protection of Civilians” Week: Interview with Dirk Druet

June 7, 2024by Dirk Druet and Jill Stoddard

In this interview around this year’s PoC week, Dirk Druet, a researcher, policy adviser and former official in international peace and security pillar of the United Nations, and a non-resident fellow at the Brian Urquhart Center for Peace Operations at the International Peace Institute,…

An Opportunity for Renewal? Lessons Learned on Women, Peace, and Security in Afghanistan

May 28, 2024by Farkhondeh Akbari and Jacqui True

There is an urgent need to pursue coherent policies to support women and girls in Afghanistan through diplomacy and practical measures. However, to do this, it is important to understand how to navigate the patriarchal practices that inhibit the protection of women’s rights in Afghanistan.

Northwest Nigeria Has a Banditry Problem. What’s Driving It?

May 22, 2024by Oluwole Ojewale

Banditry now joins Nigeria’s list of problematic non-state armed groups which includes Boko Haram factions, Niger Delta militants in Nigeria’s south, and separatist groups in the country’s southeast. This article’s glimpse into the bandits’ world ties in with theoretical explanations on…

The UN’s New Agenda for Protection: Can It Make a Difference?

May 13, 2024by Damian Lilly and Jennifer Welsh

This is not the first time the UN has tried to reinvigorate its commitment to improve its performance in preventing and responding to protection crises. The question today is whether the current agenda can learn lessons from HRuF and make a tangible difference where previous efforts have fallen…

Bridging Gaps in UN Tools that Address Conflict-Related Sexual Violence

May 8, 2024by Jenna Russo and Lauren McGowan

Over the past two decades, the UN Security Council and Secretariat have attempted to increase the links between the CRSV agenda and sanctions regimes. The Secretary-General has also consistently recommended increasing the links between the annual reports and sanctions. Based on our research, we…

As Kenyan Deployment Sits in Limbo, Revisiting the History of International Intervention Against Gangs in Haiti

May 2, 2024by Lou Pingeot

Even if the proposed intervention stops violence momentarily—and many Haitians are clamoring for any form of security—this can only be a temporary fix as long as the social contract between the Haitian state and the Haitian population remains broken.

When Protectors Become Perpetrators: The Complexity of State Destruction of Cultural Heritage

April 24, 2024by Michaela Millender and Nicolette Lyubarsky

While Israel wages war against Hamas in Gaza and Russia pursues its war in Ukraine, an egregious yet potentially overlooked assault may be under way in both contexts.

A Review of the 68th Commission on the Status of Women: Small Wins in a Polarized Landscape

April 19, 2024by Phoebe Donnelly and Mahathi Ayyagari

Increasingly, CSW negotiations have come to reflect the global debate on gender rights between gender rights activists advocating for progressive gender language and right-wing coalitions pushing for conservative, anti-gender language. Despite polarized views on gender, at this year’s CSW,…

One Year Ago, War Broke Out in Sudan. What Can Be Done to Prioritize Protection of Civilians?

April 15, 2024by Julie Gregory

For the first time in nearly 20 years, Sudan is without a UN peace operation that enables or supports the protection of civilians, increasing the likelihood that the already severe protection gaps in country will worsen.

When It Comes to Responsible and Safe AI, a Global Divide Is Emerging

April 11, 2024by Robert Muggah

The latest global push to regulate AI comes at a time of growing concern and awareness over its potential to do harm.

As Ethiopia Moves Forward With Its Transitional Justice Initiative, Challenges Abound

April 2, 2024by Zekarias Beshah Abebe

While the guns have fallen silent in Tigray after the Pretoria Cessation of Hostilities Agreement, escalating violence in various parts of the country—notably Amhara and Oromia—are putting into question the feasibility of the country’s new transitional justice draft policy, and the…

More Than an Invitation: NGOs’ New Vision to Deepen Civil Society Engagement in UN Peacebuilding Review

March 19, 2024by Lesley Connolly and Aaron Stanley

The upcoming UN Peacebuilding Architecture Review provides a unique opportunity for the UN to shape the future of peacebuilding at a moment when sentiment toward multilateral institutions and the liberal framework guiding peacebuilding as a whole is changing. The way in which the review is…

The UN Approach to Global Conflict is Flawed. Can the Human Rights Council Do More to Strengthen It?

March 18, 2024by Erica Harper

Whether through its investigative capabilities, its special rapporteur system, or the forum itself, the Human Rights Council could evolve to become a more central and effective actor in addressing peace and security risks.

Can the AU’s “Common African Defence and Security Policy” Provide a Pan-African Solution to the Continent’s Security Challenges?

February 27, 2024by Bitania Tadesse

The AU possesses several norms and policies which, if implemented, could lead to meaningful transformation in the peace and security landscape of the continent. The CADSP is one such instrument. The 20-year anniversary of the policy presents an opportunity to reaffirm the principles that are the…

UN “Summit of the Future” Must Deliver for the Planet

February 7, 2024by Adam Day

It is not too late for UN member states to generate a planetary narrative and outcome for the Summit of the Future in September 2024. Here are some steps that can be taken so the Summit will resonate with the majority who see the environment as a top priority.

Misinformation Isn’t Organized by Topic: Why Communicators on Climate Change and Health Need to Work Together

February 5, 2024by Albert Trithart

Considering that the climate crisis predated the COVID-19 pandemic, why has attention on climate misinformation lagged? And how can efforts to tackle climate misinformation learn from and build off of similar efforts in the field of health?

Author: Leonard S. Rubenstein

Security Council Can Do More to Protect Health Care in Conflict

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