Masooma Rahmaty | Authors | IPI Global Observatory

Human Disruption to Earth’s Freshwater Cycle Has Exceeded Safe Limit

July 18, 2022by Arne Tobian, Lan Wang Erlandsson and Dieter Gerten

Looking at green water, the rainwater available to plants, shows that freshwater’s ability to sustain a stable Earth system is even more threatened than first reported. Explicitly governing green water is necessary.

Peace as the Norm: Sustaining Peace in Africa

July 8, 2022by Youssef Mahmoud and Chimwemwe A. Fabiano

The African continent has a rich and varied repertoire of formal and informal capacities, knowledge, and experiences to decolonize the study and practice of peace and develop an integrated African agenda for sustaining peace.

One Crisis, Multiple Norms: Strengthening Human Protection in Mali and the Sahel

June 17, 2022by Adrian Gallagher, Charles T. Hunt and Blake Lawrinson

The UN Security Council does not have the luxury of choosing between normative imperatives associated with preventing atrocities, protecting civilians, and countering terrorism in Mali, the Sahel, and elsewhere.

Peacebuilding Financing in Guinea-Bissau and Lessons for Overlooked Countries

June 3, 2022by Gustavo de Carvalho

Despite the instability it faces, Guinea-Bissau—alongside countries like Madagascar, Chad, or the Central African Republic—has long been overlooked by donors. There is an urgent need to re-orientate the international community toward supporting and financing conflict prevention and early action.

The Role of Peacekeepers in Protecting Civilians from Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

May 25, 2022by Jenna Russo

There are a number of reasons why it is difficult for peacekeepers to protect civilians from sexual and gender-based violence, particularly those forms that fall outside of conflict-related sexual violence.

Protecting Peace? How the Protection of Civilians Contributes to Peace Processes

May 23, 2022by Jenna Russo

Without a corresponding political process, UN protection activities are an ineffective bandaid in situations of widespread violence.

Russia, NATO, and International Organizations

May 23, 2022by Kseniya Oksamytna

As Finland and Sweden begin the process of applying for NATO membership, misleading narratives about the role of NATO’s so-called eastward expansion in “provoking” Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continue to hold sway.

Sanctions and the Costs of Russia’s War in Ukraine

May 12, 2022by Erica Moret

The sanctions imposed against Russia over its invasion of Ukraine mark a new page in global sanctions practice yet lessons from earlier cases could help increase efficacy and minimize costs.

What Are the International Military Options for the Sahel?

April 12, 2022by Nina Wilén and Paul D. Williams

The complex, and not always coordinated, ecosystem of military operations across the Sahel has been aptly labeled a security traffic jam. Why are external forces in the Sahel? Can they help resolve any of the region’s crises? And, if so, what configuration of external forces makes the most sense?

The Benefits, Challenges, and Limitations of Criminalizing Ecocide

March 30, 2022by Rachel Killean

The campaign to introduce a new international crime of “ecocide” at the International Criminal Court is long-standing but has received increased support over the last couple of years.

ECOWAS Sanctions Against Mali Necessary, but May Be Counter-Productive

February 2, 2022by Festus Kofi Aubyn

The new sanctions were triggered by months of growing tensions between ECOWAS and the military-dominated transitional government over the timetable for Mali’s return to civilian rule after two successful coups d’état.

New Name, but Little Sign of Change: The Revised Agreement on the African Union Mission in Somalia

January 27, 2022by Colin Robinson

The AU mission’s success relies on the handover of military responsibilities to an effective Somali replacement. But the Somali National Army remains as politicized and clan-divided as it has ever been.

New Climate Data Visualizations, 2021

December 15, 2021by Noemi Florea

Noemi Florea has compiled some key data visualizations from 2021 for the Global Observatory that highlight progress on climate change, from expanded research on the global environment to emerging developments for climate adaptation.

The Gendered Political Economy of Militarized Peacekeeping

October 28, 2021by Dean Peacock

Reforming peacekeeping to foster sustainable peace must include an interrogation of militarized masculinities and their harmful gendered consequences.

The Pitfalls of UN Peacekeeping in Afghanistan

September 1, 2021by Paul D. Williams

Neither local nor international politics are currently right for a UN peacekeeping deployment in Afghanistan.

Preventing Violence or Harming Peace and Rights? What the UN Can Learn from Counterterrorism in the Philippines

June 10, 2021by Aries Arugay, Marc Batac, and Jordan Street

The roll-out of counterterrorism and P/CVE policies, plans, and projects in the Philippines is having a significant negative impact on peace, security, and the fulfillment of human rights in the country.

Reflecting on the UN’s Role in Counterterrorism Twenty Years After 9/11

June 1, 2021by Jake Sherman and Agathe Sarfati

As the 20th anniversary of 9/11 approaches, there is value in assessing the emergence of counterterrorism as the “fourth pillar” of the UN, its effectiveness to date, and the way ahead.

The Exclusion of Women’s Voices from Afghan Peace Talks Remains the Norm

March 30, 2021by Masooma Rahmaty

As the peace talks gain momentum again, ensuring that women’s voices are sufficiently represented in peace efforts should be a top priority.

How Can Artificial Intelligence Help Curb Deforestation in the Amazon?

November 23, 2020by Adriana Erthal Abdenur

Some of the most promising innovations for enhancing the monitoring of forests involve artificial intelligence.

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Peace and Conflict

October 23, 2020by Katariina Mustasilta

What happened to the pandemic being a catalyst for peaceful processes?

Author: Masooma Rahmaty

On International Women’s Day, A Closer Look at the Missing Voices of Women in Afghan Peace Talks

This week

A Crisis of Consent in UN Peace Operations

The 2022 UN Peacekeeping Budget: Signs of Progress or a Fleeting Moment of Consensus?