Skip to content

IPI Global Observatory

Daily analysis in your inbox
  • Analysis
  • Interviews
  • Series
  • Features
  • About
  • Follow Us
    • Subscribe to our newsletter
    • Follow us on Twitter
    • Join us on Facebook
    • Flux RSS
    • Live Audio and Video
  • Daily analysis in your inbox
  • Topics & regions

    Most Popular

    • Arab Spring | 57 articles
    • Central Asia | 35 articles
    • Climate Change | 54 articles
    • Conflict | 122 articles
    • Democracy | 45 articles
    • Development | 60 articles
    • Elections | 120 articles
    • Fragile States | 74 articles
    • Health and Security | 35 articles
    • Humanitarian Affairs | 104 articles
    • Justice | 46 articles
    • Mali | 36 articles
    • Mass Protest | 40 articles
    • Peace and Security | 87 articles
    • Peace Processes | 89 articles
    • Peacebuilding | 61 articles
    • Peacekeeping | 186 articles
    • Rebel Groups | 38 articles
    • Resources | 41 articles
    • Rule Of Law | 33 articles
    • Somalia | 34 articles
    • Southeast Asia | 49 articles
    • Statebuilding | 57 articles
    • Sustaining Peace | 30 articles
    • Syria | 81 articles
    • Technology | 35 articles
    • Terrorism | 130 articles
    • United Nations | 202 articles
    • Women Peace and Security | 119 articles
    Explore All Topics & Regions

    Regions

    • Africa | 361 articles
    • Americas | 91 articles
    • Asia | 95 articles
    • Europe | 96 articles
    • Middle East | 208 articles

Tag: human rights

  • Reflecting the UN’s Core Mission in its Counterterrorism Efforts: Interview with Fionnuala Ní Aoláin

    November 30, 2022by Agathe Sarfati, Eimer Curtin and William Lighthart

    UN Special Rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aoláin discusses the challenges that emerge as states increasingly frame conflict and violence through a terrorism lens, rather than a peace lens, and the repercussions for local mediation and human rights endeavors.

    Interviewshuman-rights, terrorism, united-nations
  • Mandate Renewal of Independent Expert on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity At Risk

    July 10, 2019by Rosa Freedman

    Given the Human Rights Council’s current composition and priorities, there is a real risk that the independent expert’s mandate will not pass.

    Analysishuman-rights, lgbti
  • Defending the Human Rights of LGBTI People at the UN

    June 21, 2019by Sahar Moazami

    Progress at the UN in advancing support for and protections of the rights of LGBTI people has not come without challenges.

    Analysishuman-rights, lgbti
  • Is “Human Rights” a Western Concept?

    October 17, 2018Ahmed Shaheed and Rose Parris Richter

    Critics of the notion that human rights are universal often assert that human rights originated in the West, reflect Western interests, and are a weapon of cultural hegemony or a new form of imperialism.

    Analysishuman-rights
  • Why is Human Rights Absent from the Secretary-General’s Prevention Agenda?

    October 9, 2018by Jennifer Norris

    If UN reform is about making the UN fit for purpose, then it only makes sense that reforms be made to strengthen the human rights pillar.  

    Analysishuman-rights, un-reform
  • How Cameroonian Communities Secure Their Water Rights

    June 23, 2017by Albert Mbiatem

    The availability of potable water supply in rural and urban areas of Cameroon has significantly lagged for the past two decades, while demand has increased tremendously.

    Analysisenvironment, human-rights
  • Book Review: In “New” Iran, Old Struggle for Rights Goes On

    May 5, 2016by Maureen Quinn

    Nobel Prize winner Shirin Ebadi’s new book Until We Are Free details her efforts to advance human rights in Iran, even in exile.

    Further Readinghuman-rights, iran
  • A Ripe Moment for Change at the UN?

    March 9, 2016by Youssef Mahmoud

    Three major peace and security reviews conducted in 2015 have taken stock of the changing global environment; analyzed UN responses; and come up with several key policy messages, as well as a number of complementary recommendations which, if implemented, could help the UN peace and security architecture be better fit for purpose.

    Analysisdevelopment, human-rights, peace-and-security, united-nations
  • Could New Laws to Fight Terrorism Actually Help Fuel It?

    March 31, 2015by David Cortright

    The continuing pursuit of ever more restrictive counterterrorism legislation may be generating negative impacts that weaken the global fight against terrorism.

    Analysishuman-rights, terrorism
  • Challenges Abound in Proposed Arab Court of Human Rights

    March 27, 2015by Marisa McCrone and Waleed Alhariri

    The court’s jurisdiction would rest within the framework of the Arab human rights system, namely the 2008 Arab Charter on Human Rights.

    Analysishuman-rights, middle-east
  • Next →

This week

  • Climate Change in the Security Council: What New Council Members Can Achieve in 2023

    January 30, 2023by Adam Day, Janani Vivekananda, and Grazia Pacillo

    2023 could be a good year for advancing climate-related issues in the United Nations Security Council.

    Analysisclimate-change, peace-and-security, security-council
  • How Negotiations on Contingent-Owned Equipment Can Help “Green” UN Peacekeeping

    January 20, 2023by Emmanuelle Cousin and Daniel Forti 

    The UN General Assembly’s COE Working Group has a fork-in-the-road opportunity to advance UN Peacekeeping’s environmental goals.

    Analysisclimate-change, peacekeeping

Trending

  • How Useful Are the UN’s Broad Protection of Civilian Mandates?

    January 18, 2023by Alexander Gilder

    The UN should consider both the successes of the whole-of-mission approach and the pitfalls of its ever-burgeoning understanding of PoC.

    Analysispeacekeeping, protection-of-civilians
  • Investing in People and Enhancing Resilience for Sustaining Peace with Adaptive Peacebuilding

    January 17, 2023by Cedric de Coning, Rui Saraiva and Ako Muto

    Context-specific approaches to peacebuilding that empower local agency are key to the self-sustainability of peace processes.

    Analysispeacebuilding, sustaining-peace
  • The Multilateralism Index: Measuring Transformation in a Time of Crisis and Uncertainty

    January 9, 2023by Adam Lupel

    A better understanding is needed of where the multilateral system is working, where it is not, and where it is headed.

    Analysismultilateralism
  • Does the UN Need a More Coherent Approach Toward “De Facto” Authorities?

    January 6, 2023by Damian Lilly

    As a result of shifting dynamics in certain conflicts, as well as recent coups, the UN is having to engage with de facto authorities in a growing number of country contexts.

    Analysisunited-nations
  • The Nitty Gritty of Climate Policy: Taking Stock of COP27, Looking Ahead to COP28

    January 5, 2023by Olivia Fielding, Michael Franczak, Masooma Rahmaty, Aparajita Rao, Jimena Leiva Roesch, Michael Weisberg

    The agreement to establish a fund for loss and damage was a historic win for developing countries, but progress on mitigation stalled at COP27.

    Analysisclimate2022, climate-change
  • Milestone in the Security Council: What the New Humanitarian “Carve-out” Means for UN Sanctions Regimes

    December 16, 2022by Naureen Chowdhury Fink and Agathe Sarfati 

    Last week,  the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) adopted Resolution 2664, a cross-cutting humanitarian carve-out for all UN sanctions regimes–including the 1267 ISIL/al-Qaida regime–to safeguard the timely and effective conduct of humanitarian activities.

    Analysishumanitarian, security-council, terrorism
  • 2022 Editor’s Choice: Global Observatory Must Reads

    December 15, 2022by the Global Observatory

    The editors of the Global Observatory have compiled some of 2022’s notable and most-read articles that speak to both global events and new thinking on peace and security, United Nations (UN) peacekeeping, gender and security, and the climate crisis.

    Further Reading
  • Year in Review: Top International Peace Institute Reports of 2022

    December 15, 2022by the Global Observatory

    The International Peace Institute’s 10 most-read reports of 2022.

    Further Reading
  • Disinformation Is a Growing Threat for UN Peacekeepers

    December 14, 2022by Albert Trithart

    UN missions will need to address the root causes of misinformation and disinformation by proactively reshaping narratives about the UN.

    Analysispeacekeeping
  • In a Worsening DRC, How Can the Security Council Keep Focus on Protection of Civilians?

    December 13, 2022by Daniel Levine-Spound and Wendy MacClinchy

    MONUSCO’s mandate renewal is an opportunity for the UNSC to prove its relevance as a protection actor in the DRC.

    Analysispeacekeeping, protection-of-civilians
  • The East African Community Steps into the Crisis in the DRC. Will It Help?

    December 12, 2022by Jenna Russo

    While the current crisis is unlikely to be resolved without military force, any hope for success requires that operations remain closely tied to a political process, and that neighboring countries remain accountable to support the security and sovereignty of the DRC.

    Analysisafrica, conflict
  • New Avenues for Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict: Addressing Weapons

    December 9, 2022by Hana Salama

    Thus far, few UN frameworks, policies, or guidance documents on conflict-related sexual violence mention arms control and disarmament measures in the context of prevention.

    Analysisconflict, sexual-violence, women-peace-and-security
  • The Many, Varied Violences Behind the Central American Exodus

    November 15, 2022by Nathaniel Morris and Gema Kloppe-Santamaría

    We need to fully recognize the multifaceted character of the “violences” impacting Central American countries and the political, economic, and social precursors that drive them.

    Analysisamericas, migration
  • 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.

    Analysisenvironment
  • 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.

    Analysisafrica, sanctions
  • 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.

    Analysisafrica, african-union, peacekeeping
  • 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.

    Further Readingclimate-change, climate2021
  • Is the Global Climate Governance System Working?

    November 23, 2021by Jimena Leiva Roesch, Julia Almeida Nobre, and Eimer Curtin

    In the wake of COP26, there is a need to examine the current structures and dynamics of global climate governance.

    Analysisclimate-change, climate2021
  • 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.

    Analysisafghanistan, peacekeeping
  • 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.

    Analysisctat20, terrorism

Latest tweets:

@ipinstGO

Follow Us:

Facebook Twitter Youtube RSS

Subscribe to our newsletter:

Subscription page

About the Global Observatory

The Global Observatory provides timely analysis on peace and security issues by experts, journalists, and policymakers. It is published by the International Peace Institute. The views expressed here represent those of the contributors and not IPI.

About the International Peace Institute

The International Peace Institute is an independent, international think tank located in New York and Manama, dedicated to the settlement and prevention of armed conflict.

© 2023 IPI International Peace Institute | Privacy Policy