Democracy & Rule of Law

Democratic Backsliding & Solutions

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A security guard walks through a mass grave site in a large agricultural area known as Mashrou al-Rabet in Meji on September 27, 2021 in Tarhuna, Libya. Tarhuna city was a previous stronghold for the Al-Kani militia affiliated with warlord Khalifa Haftar. From June 2021, following the defeat of Haftar's forces in the western areas of Libya, the Libyan government found 193 dead bodies and had identified 96 of them, in mass graves in Tarhuna and south of Tripoli. (Photo by Nada Harib/Getty Images)

The Global Fragility Act Takes Another Step Toward Conflict Prevention, But Bigger Strides Remain

Conflict prevention routinely takes a back seat to immediate crises, and will require resources and attention to legal and bureaucratic gaps.
A Thai runner dressed in a costume gives a three finger "hunger games" salute as thousands gather at Suan Rot Fai Park for a "fun run" against Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his government on January 12, 2020 in Bangkok, Thailand. Police estimated that more than 12,000 people joined the protest against the Prime Minister, who seized power during a 2014 coup, led a junta in the following years and was elected Prime Minister in a much-disputed March 2019 election. (Photo by Lauren DeCicca/Getty Images)

Shut Out of Democracy Summit , Thailand Prepares for May Elections as Restrictive Laws Aim to Silence Youth Activists

The vote could set the tone for democratic rights in the region, curb the junta’s influence, and return power to the people.
A title of the episode with sound waves in the background.

The Just Security Podcast: Two Years After the Myanmar Coup

On the two-year anniversary of the coup, we speak with Akila Radhakrishnan and Angela Mudukuti from the Global Justice Center.
The seal of the Treasury Department is seen on the Treasury Department Building in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 18, 2023.

The Treasury Department’s Material Support Carveouts are a Welcomed First Step – But Congress Must Act to Create a Sustainable Fix

Congress needs to pass legislation to expand vital protections for NGOs delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance.

Justice Will Be Crucial to a New Deal in Sudan

Sudanese politicians and military leaders are making a second serious attempt at negotiating a path toward civilian rule and democracy.
Kyaw Moe Tun (left), new Permanent Representative of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar to the United Nations, pays a courtesy call to Secretary-General António Guterres.

Democracies Must Stop Playing Games with Myanmar’s Representation at the United Nations

Member States that believe in human rights must take the necessary steps to give the Burmese people a voice at the United Nations.
Sudanese demonstrators take the streets in Khartoum on June 3, 2022, holding cutouts of soldiers toting rifles, to demand justice for scores of pro-democracy protesters killed during the suppression of a 2019 sit-in against now-ousted dictator Omar al-Bashir. A protester was shot dead in the Sudanese capital, medics said, as UN human rights expert Amada Dieng urged authorities to "refrain from use of excessive force" against demonstrators. (Photo by -/AFP via Getty Images)

UN Members Should Reject Sudan Junta’s Membership on the Human Rights Council

The country, now in the grip of a military regime, seeks a second term, and the African Union is complicit in supporting the bid.
A speaker in a white shirt addresses a crowd with a blue sky and clouds behind him. There is a sign that reads "5th Anniversary Rohingya Genocide Remembrance Day" and "Hope is Home"

Inching Forward but a Long Road Ahead to Achieve Justice for the Rohingya

Five years after the Myanmar military launched its clearance operation targeting the Rohingya in Rakhine State, the wheels of international justice continue slowly to turn. On…
A crowd gathers around a man (not seen) who had been beaten by a crowd because they suspected him of taking part in a thwarted "terrorist" attack on the military base in the background, in Kati, Mali, on July 22, 2022. The Malian army said it had thwarted the alleged "terrorist" attack on the base, which is located on the outskirts of the capital and is used by the military junta that rules Mali.

The Failing Response to Violent Extremism in Africa – and the Need to Reform the International Approach

Militant groups recruit where predatory governments alienate youth, exclude vulnerable groups, and rule with violent impunity.
(L to R front row) General Mohamed Hamdan Daglo "Hemeti", deputy chairman of Sudan's Sovereignty Council, speaks with council chief General Abdel Fattah al-Burhan during a reception ceremony in the capital Khartoum on October 8, 2020 upon the arrival of the government negotiating team from Juba where the government and rebel groups had earlier signed a landmark peace deal. - Sudan's government and rebel groups had on October 3 signed a peace deal at a ceremony in the South Sudanese capital Juba, aimed at ending decades of war in which hundreds of thousands have died. (Photo by Ebrahim HAMID / AFP) (Photo by EBRAHIM HAMID/AFP via Getty Images)

Anti-Coup Strategies Should Address Civilian Coup Allies

A robust anti-coup strategy must place the same pressures on civilian collaborators that military coup leaders face.
Nigerian Policemen of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) patrol on the main square in Timbuktu as a woman passes from the left, on December 8, 2021. The carry large guns.

Preventing the UN Peacekeeping Mission in Mali from Falling into Irrelevance

With the UN Security Council considering renewal of MINUSMA's mandate, are there ways it can better address the range of security threats?
Supporters of Burkina Faso's ousted President Roch Marc Christian Kaboré gather in Ouagadougou, on May 28, 2022, during an indoor rally demanding his release. Kabore's party, the People's Movement for Progress (MPP), on May 24 denounced his detention, four months since the January 24 coup. (Photo by OLYMPIA DE MAISMONT/AFP via Getty Images)

The US Needs a Global Anti-Coup Strategy

With partners, Washington can affect the calculus of local players and set an example of standing with local pro-democracy actors.
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