A UN independent fact-finding mission to Sudan cited grave human rights violations and called for the immediate deployment of an independent and impartial force to protect civilians. Jenna Russo looks at the feasibility of a peacekeeping force.
Analysis
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In Ethiopia, the full potential for opposition political parties is yet to be realized. Many registered political parties have limited involvement in elections, almost non-existent interactions with electorates, poorly-designed (and often plagiarized) programmatic documents, and a lack of understanding of the country’s political context, combined with party leaders’ visible willingness to exploit gaps in NEBE’s operation, make it reasonable to infer an intent to defraud.
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The UN is struggling to stay relevant amid increased competition from a multitude of more informal and less inclusive actors. Informal coalitions and clubs are increasingly important tools for security, trade agreements, regulation of international banking, and the handling of COVID-19. The new order is becoming particularly clear during the next UN General Assembly, when the G20 will, for the first time, arrange a foreign minister’s meeting in the ECOSOC chamber to consult and engage with UN member states.
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When it comes to the narrative war, Russia is winning, evidenced by its successful domestic repression framed as national protection and its international portrayal of the conflict as an ideological battle against Western imperialism. The price to pay may be a fractured, more dangerous multipolar world order with a reduced role for human rights. Whether it feels it doesn’t need to or simply shouldn’t have to, the West needs to better engage in these narrative wars.
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Research by the ENACT organized crime project at the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) shows how AI can do some of the resource-heavy and complex aspects of investigating environmental crime in Africa, especially crimes related to poaching, illegal fishing, and illegal mining.
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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 and costs of such engagement currently may not be worth the benefits on offer.
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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.
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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.
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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 organized violence, and can hopefully provide useful information to scholars and policymakers.
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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 short.
