United Nations
646 Articles
A Post-Mortem on UN Security Council Resolution 2482 on Organized Crime and Counter-Terrorism
The creeping conflation of armed conflict, terrorism and organized crime does not lend legal clarity to complex legal and political challenges. In the long run, it may, in fact,…
Iraq ‘Dirty Tricks’ Tale Gets Star Treatment, But Big Questions Remain
The dramatic but little-told story of a British intelligence whistleblower who tried to raise the alarm over a questionable spying campaign to bolster the cause for the Iraq War…
The Massive Perils of the Latest U.N. Resolution on Terrorism
A newly proposed U.N. Security Council resolution expanding anti-terrorism requirements for member States targets the nexus with organized crime. But like so many counterterrorism…
Citizens to the UN: Investigate Our “Torture Chambers in the Sky”
On behalf of the North Carolina Commission of Inquiry on Torture (NCCIT), a citizen-initiated truth panel, we just submitted a 35-page communication to 10 U.N. Special Rapporteurs…
When War Comes to School
Editor’s Note: Displayed throughout this piece, photos by UNICEF-commissioned photographer Marko Kokic tell the personal stories of children whose schools have been attacked…
UN Secretary-General’s Annual Report on Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: An Unequivocal Call for Respect for the Law
The United Nations (UN) yesterday released the Secretary-General’s annual report to the Security Council on the protection of civilians in armed conflict. It is an unequivocal…
“No Sideshow” – The ‘Protection of Civilians’ Agenda Turns 20
This year marks two decades since the protection of civilians in armed conflict became a specific item on the agenda of the Security Council. The evolution of the idea demonstrates…
Is Justice the Antidote to Sexual Violence in Conflict? Why Amal Clooney is Only Half Right
While many survivors of sexual violence do want accountability, it isn’t always their first priority, particularly when boiled down to prosecutions and disconnected from their…
Elisions and Omissions: Questioning the ICC’s Latest Bashir Immunity Ruling
A close analysis of the ICC Appeals Chamber's reasoning in the Bashir immunity case raises serious questions about its conclusions on the difference between national and international…
A Confusing ICC Appeals Judgment on Head-of-State Immunity
The outcome of the decision is not a surprise - but its implications for the immunity of senior officials of states that do not belong to the ICC, even beyond cases in which there…
US Counterterrorism Under the UN Spotlight
A United Nations team is visiting Washington this week to conduct its first review of U.S. counterterrorism policy.
Gutting the Substance of a Security Council Resolution on Sexual Violence
The United States has abandoned any meaningful commitment to victims and survivors of conflict-related sexual violence, in the interest of appeasing domestic anti-abortion constituencies.…