Humanitarian

Highlights:

M23 soldiers walk down the street as M23 North Kivu provincial leadership marked one year of M23's control of Goma with a review of ongoing construction work and a visit to the Stade de l'Unite on February 6, 2026 in Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo.

DRC Takes Rwanda to the ICJ: Proxy Warfare, Layered Obligations, and the Future of State Responsibility

The DRC’s case against Rwanda could mark an important moment in the legal development of responsibility for proxy warfare.
General view taken at the start of the first hearing at the International Court of Justice in which Myanmar is accused of committing genocide against the country's Muslim minority, the Rohingya, in the Hague on January 12, 2026.

Genocide and Intent to Kill Revisited

An expert examines the implications of the ICJ's caselaw for the genocide case that Gambia brought against Myanmar.
The exterior of the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague on March 28, 2026.

The State Department’s Campaign Against the ICC Rests on a Misunderstanding of How the Court Actually Works

While the ICC does have real problems, the State Department's campaign against it is premised on a misapprehension of how the Court works.
The building of the International Criminal Court in The Hague in 2019. (Photo by OSeveno via Wikimedia Commons under Creative Commons license)

In Context: Analyzing Secretary Rubio’s International Criminal Court Op-Ed

International law scholars address some of the factual claims and underlying assumptions in Secretary Marco Rubio's op-ed on dismantling the International Criminal Court.

What does the Trump Administration Statement on Dismantling the ICC Really Mean?

International law experts respond to the Trump administration's campaign to "dismantle" the International Criminal Court.
Individuals atop a pile of rubble are outlined in silhouette against a grim gray-toned sky.

To Help Venezuelans After the Quake, End U.S. Sanctions

The single most important move the U.S. could make to aid Venezuela would be to lift all remaining economic sanctions on the country while maintaining some on individuals.
× Clear Filters
254 Articles
Rubio, in a dark suit, talks to al-Otaiba, in a traditional white Arab robe and head covering, as the two walk away from the camera toward what appears to be the arched outlines of a modern building. Rubio has his left hand on al-Otaiba's right shoulder in a friendly manner.

U.S., U.K. Won’t Stop UAE’s Support to Sudan’s RSF by Tiptoeing Around It

Governments and the private sector need to find the courage to apply reputational pressure on the UAE for supporting a force the U.S. cites for genocide in Sudan.
This photograph shows smoke rising above buildings following an air attack in Kharkiv on June 10, 2026, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Beyond the Vanishing Point? What the Destruction of Civilian Infrastructure in Armed Conflicts Reveals about the State and the Role of IHL Today

There is a widening gap between international humanitarian law and the realities of civilians affected by armed conflicts.
Guterres speaks at a podium in the massive General Assembly hall, on a large dais at the base of a gold backdrop stretching to the high ceiling, his image also projected on screens behind him, as member state representatives are seated at long rows of desks arrayed in front of the dais.

As U.N. Secretary-General Candidates Make Pitch to be Mediator-in-Chief, Will Peacebuilding End Up On the Cutting Room Floor?

A U.N. pivot back to conflict mediation, suggested in the secretary-general search, will only reap dividends if peacebuilding is high on the next leader's agenda.
Smoke and fire rises from the Dormition Cathedral in the Orthodox complex of the Kyiv Pechersk Lavra following a Russian missile strike on the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on June 15, 2026, amid the Russian invasion in Ukraine.

The Law of Armed Conflict and the Attack on Kyiv’s Monastery of the Caves and Dormition Cathedral

The strike illustrates a grim pattern in Russia’s conduct of the war – the systematic destruction of Ukrainian religious and cultural sites.
Youths gather in front of a burning barricade on Duncairn Gardens on June 9, 2026 in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Northern Ireland’s Racist Violence Has a Familiar Playbook

In Northern Ireland, a horrific crime is being manipulated to justify racist violence and the targeting of migrants.
A bronze sign marks the visitors' entrance to the U.S. Trade Representative's office on August 18, 2024, in Washington, DC.

The Cynicism Behind the Administration’s Proposed Forced Labor Tariffs

The labor issues the U.S. Trade Representative claims to investigate are real problems. They should not become pretexts for tariffs the administration already wants.
A view of Daba Naira camp from a Solidarités International water tower as the sun sets over Tawila in North Darfur on February 22, 2026.

Sudan Has Become a Transnational Marketplace of Violence: Effective Responses Require Targeting the Sources

The most consequential drivers of the war in Sudan are foreign states, private military contractors, and transnational criminal networks.
Senegalese peacekeepers of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) patrol near Carnot on May 28, 2026.

US-Central African Republic Deportation Agreement Escalates Attack on Immigrants and Puts Lives at Risk

Congress should demand transparency and require the U.S. government to publicly release third-country deportation agreements, including with the Central African Republic. 
Fans fill the stands at the top and bottom of the image, watching a basketball game on the light-colored wood of the basketball court in the center, which is emblazoned with the NBA logo and "Abu Dhabi Games 2023."

The NBA’s Genocide Problem

The NBA’s partnership with the United Arab Emirates is laundering the reputation of a regime that supports a militia responsible for ​committing genocide in Sudan.
Hegseth is seen in the foreground, walking by a wooden dias where members of the Senate Appropriations Committee are standing and sitting in a wood-paneled room.

Congress Can Act Now on U.S. DoD Inspector’s Report Revealing Violations of Civilian Harm Policy and Law

A Defense Department Inspector General report shows the Pentagon’s failure to prioritize congressionally mandated civilian protection mechanisms amid U.S. military action.
Posters of missing people hang on a monument in the centre of Marjeh Square in Damascus on December 26, 2024. (Photo by SAMEER AL-DOUMY/AFP via Getty Images)

The Search for the Missing in Syria: Learning from the Past

The head of Syria's Independent Institution of Missing Persons (IIMP) offers analysis and recommendations for a meaningful justice process.
Residents walk with a bicycle past destroyed buildings in Yarmouk camp, Damascus, Syria, on November 8, 2025. Established in 1957, Yarmouk was once the largest Palestinian refugee community in Syria, but years of conflict left much of it in ruins. (Photo by Omar Albaw / Middle East Images via AFP) (Photo by OMAR ALBAW/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images)

Starvation on Trial: Koblenz and the Case of Yarmouk

A trial in Germany concerning the siege of Yarmouk in Syria tests the application of universal jurisdiction to patterns of siege warfare and civilian deprivation.
1-12 of 254 items

DON'T MISS A THING. Stay up to date with Just Security curated newsletters: