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People sit, their backs to the camera, in a large hall, watching a large TV screen on a platform that shows Ongwen's face. Two illegible banners hang on stands to the right of the screen. Two windows behind the platform are covered to shade the brightness and ease viewing of the television.

How to Acknowledge Forced Marriage as a Standalone Crime in the Draft Crimes Against Humanity Treaty

Adding forced marriage to the draft Crimes Against Humanity Convention would codify a distinct international crime, reflect its severe harms, and improve legal clarity.
Women, men, and children, some dressed in colorful traditional Ukrainian embroidered shirts, some draped in or flying blue and yellow Ukrainian flags and one draped in an Australian flag, hold stuffed animals as they stand next to each other facing the camera, against a backdrop with a big, leafy tree in the back left and a cityscape of mid-rise buildings in the background.

Ukrainian Children Under Russian Control: Why Tracing, Return, Reintegration, and Justice Must Be Addressed Together

Return alone cannot be the only framework through which the international community and Ukrainian authorities address the issue of Ukrainian children under Russian control.
Thousands of people wave Syrian flags as they gather in a square during an anniversary rally in Idlib, Syria, on December 8, 2025. (Photo by Omar Albaw / Middle East Images / AFP via Getty Images)

An Urgent Call to Break the Cycle of Division and Exclusion in Syria

Sectarianism in Syria persists, and reinforces a cycle of division. A constitutional process that does not grapple with sectarianism will only reinforce it.
A sign that reads "Protection Desk" stands in front of a low, makeshift shelter of what looks like carpets or brightly colored red fabric suspended over mostly woman and children sitting on the ground or on small ground covers under the shelter. A few buckets and bags sit on the ground around the sign. In the background is a big blue metal corrugated building and further behind to the left is a large soiled white tent. At the right of the image is a tall, white wall extending on the side of the compound.

Fleeing Sudan’s War: Refugees Detail Three Years of Trauma

Three years into Sudan’s war, famine spreads, cities fall under siege, and millions flee. Refugees recount a litany of losses, with no end in sight.
People wait for information outside the Mexican Specialized Prosecutor's Office for Missing Persons in Guadalajara, Jalisco state, Mexico on April 6, 2026.

Widespread and Systematic Disappearances in Mexico: An Urgent Call for UN Action Under the Convention on Enforced Disappearances

The UN General Assembly and Mexico have the unique opportunity to ensure full realization of the rights of victims and reduce enforced disappearances. They should take it.
wp-ep134-thumbnail-sudan-enters-its-fourth-year-of-civil-war

The Just Security Podcast: Sudan Enters Its Fourth Year of Civil War

Quscondy Abdulshafi joins host Viola Gienger to discuss how Sudan got to this point, how the international community has responded, and where to go next. 
A large ship is seen in off a coast

Mined and Blockaded: Iran’s Unlawful Mining and the U.S. Port Blockade

If transit passage rights wither away in the Strait of Hormuz, then every chokepoint in the world is potentially exposed.
A group of Sudanese individuals receive food aid.

Amid Shaky Ceasefire, War in Iran Is Starving Sudan

The Iran war did not create Sudan’s humanitarian crisis, but it is accelerating it, deepening it, and narrowing the window to stop it.
Under a blue and hazy gray sky, a large oil tanker ship emits smoke while sailing the Strait of Hormuz, Persian Gulf, Iran.

Continuing Crisis in Strait of Hormuz: Why Iran’s Hold is Illegal and U.S. Military Force Alone Fails

Former US Navy Commander, JAGC Mark Nevitt provides a legal and operational update on the Strait of Hormuz crisis, including Iran’s military role and imposition of tolls.
Smoke rises following strikes on Tehran on April 7, 2026. New strikes rocked Tehran on April 7 with Iran showing no sign of backing down as a US deadline loomed for it to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or have its civilian infrastructure "decimated,” according to the US president. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images) /

Reprisals and the Paradox of Trust: Why Threats of Retaliation in the Iran War are Unlikely to Work

Reprisals demand trust between adversaries, yet they often spark escalation. Their ban under international law is both moral and practical.
US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth speaks during a press briefing at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, on March 31, 2026. (Photo by Oliver Contreras / AFP via Getty Images)

The Dangers of Hegseth’s “Warfighter” Ethos

Hegseth may present his version of a warfighter as the paragon of U.S. military power, but for all his talk, he fails to recognize the true strengths of the armed forces.
​Wide shot view of a Ukrainian police deminer​ kneeling in a grassy field, using a metal detector to search for explosives in the in the Izyum district of Kharkiv region, Ukraine​. The man has a prosthetic leg.

Ukraine’s Long-Term Landmine Problem

April 4th is the International Day for Mine Awareness and Assistance in Mine Action. It's a sad reminder that it will likely take decades to demine Ukraine.
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