Humanitarian

Highlights:

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.
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.
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.
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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.
A man stands in front of a window in daylight, reaching up to check equipment hanging from a ceiling over a gurney-like hospital bed in a damaged room of a maternity hospital. Shattered glass on the floor at the foot of the gurney reflects the light coming through the window.

How the Law of War Can Reckon with Longer-Term Harms of Attacks on Health

When war affects complex and interconnected civilian systems, the full measure of civilian harm lies in what comes after the blast.
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.
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.
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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. 
(L/R) US Vice President JD Vance, Jared Kushner, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio look on as US President Donald Trump holds up a resolution document that he signed during the inaugural meeting of the "Board of Peace" at the US Institute of Peace in Washington, DC, on February 19, 2026. (Photo by SAUL LOEB / AFP via Getty Images)

Some Questions for Congress About Trump’s Request for Funding for the Board of Peace

Close scrutiny of the administration’s plans for contributions to the Board of Peace is warranted in light of the large dollar amounts involved.
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.
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