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Protesters hold Iranian pre-Islamic revolution of 1979 flags in front of the United Nations office in Geneva​, Switzerland on February 17, 2026.

What the Current Crises Facing Iran Mean for Human Rights and Rules on the Use of Force

The human rights crisis in Iran reveals the limits of a legal system designed to restrain force even when restraint carries profound human costs.
Feb. 20, 2026
Several men sit in folding chairs at a clinic. In the foreground, a large white printed poster trimmed in yellow and green reads "Lagos State AIDS Control Agency," followed by information in bullet points about what the agency does.

New U.S. Foreign Aid Emphasis on Government Partnerships is Encouraging — If Done Right

The Trump administration's government partnerships for healthcare aid will require processes that prioritize transparency, meaningful local ownership, and accountability.
Feb. 13, 2026 and
A blue banner reads "#UNGA80" in large letters, and below that, it says, "At 80, the UN is upgrading to meet the moment."

The Results of UN80: Reform or Decline?

UN80’s promise of renewal risks fading into bureaucracy. The United Nations must reform honestly, protect its mission, and adapt to survive amid resurgent power politics.
Feb. 4, 2026 and
Two young men roll a truck wheel away from the camera between two lines of trucks at the left and right of the image.

How the U.N. Can Show Renewed Leadership on Peace Efforts in 2026

To support peace efforts, the U.N. will need to show that it can adapt to the changing world order and not mourn the old order.
Feb. 2, 2026 , and 1 more
A protestor holds a sign outside the Ronald Reagan Building in Washington D.C. that reads “Wreck USAID = Hurt U.S. + Help U.S. Enemies”

“America Alone” Runs Counter to U.S. Public’s Preferences for Robust Global Engagement

The Trump administration's withdrawal from dozens of international structures contradicts polls showing Americans broadly support multilateralism, alliances, and human rights.
Jan. 28, 2026 and
Members of Syrian security forces at the entrance of the al-Hol camp in the desert region of Hasakah province which holds around 24,000 people, including some 6,200 women and children from around 40 nationalities on January 21, 2026 in Al Hasakah, Syria. Syrian government forces have taken control over large swaths of northeast Syria amid clashes with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). In Al Hasakah governate, government forces have taken control of the infamous al-Hol (Al-Hawl) camp, previously controlled by the SDF, that houses families accused of having links to Islamic State fighters. (Photo by Abdulmonam Eassa/Getty Images)

We Told You So: Now What for Northeast Syria?

The chaos unfolding in the camps and prisons in NE Syria was predictable. The new Syrian government must expediently provide security and protection to the detainees.
Jan. 27, 2026 and
A man hangs wet socks in the colors of the Colombian flag as a symbolic act to commemorate National Human Rights Day in Bogotá on September 9, 2025. (Photo by RAUL ARBOLEDA/AFP via Getty Images)

Who Will Stand Up for Human Rights in 2026 – and How?

The deterioration in human rights in 2025 heightens the risks for defenders going forward, all worsened by donors' deep funding cuts, especially those of the United States.
Jan. 15, 2026 and
The U.S. Capitol Building against a sunset

Nine Stories That Deserved More Attention in 2025 – and Might Shape 2026

What stories or topics merited more attention in 2025, and which might inform law and policy conversations in 2026?
Dec. 23, 2025
A bullet proof vest carrying a patch with the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) flag and a ballistic helmet are lying in an empty road that stretches into the background, alongside other personal belongings. Mountains can be seen stretching across the photo in the background.

Rwanda–DRC Peace Deal: Trump Owns It. Now What?

Trump's Rwanda-DRC peace deal inherits six months of failed implementation, unmet security commitments, and a worsening humanitarian crisis in eastern Congo.
Dec. 12, 2025 and
In this pool photograph distributed by Russian state agency Sputnik, Russia's President Vladimir Putin (R) greets US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff (L) prior to their talks in Moscow on April 25, 2025. (Photo by KRISTINA KORMILITSYNA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Why a Ukraine-Russia Amnesty Would Violate Geneva Convention Obligations

An amnesty in any future peace plan would be unlawful and a moral abdication of the pursuit of accountability for victims in Russia's war in Ukraine.
Dec. 11, 2025
A young boy looks on at the site of an Israeli airstrike in Deir al-Balah on December 9, 2025, which resulted in a Palestinian man being killed.

An Analysis of Resolution 2803 and the International Stabilization Force: A Militarized Enforcement Mission with Precarious Legal and Strategic Implications

UN Resolution 2803 authorizes a Gaza stabilization force under U.S. guidance, raising questions about legality, impartiality, and risks to Palestinian self-rule.
Dec. 10, 2025 and
Two women sit inside a dark concrete shelter, one on a single bed draped in what appears to be blue mosquito netting, the other on a low stool, in Adwa, Ethiopia on March 30, 2025. A window with bars in the top right of the image provides a little light. Buckets and what appear to be cooking implements sit on the barren floor.

In Ethiopia, an Unfinished Peace Risks Betraying the People of Tigray and the Broader Region

A confluence of factors threatens to reignite the conflict in Ethiopia's Tigray region, exacerbating displacement and human suffering, and destabilizing the entire region.
Dec. 3, 2025 and
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