United Nations (UN)
1,271 Articles
What the Senate Preserved in Blocking the SAFE Act
Too often, when political decisions are driven by fear, the pressure on lawmakers to do “something” outweighs efforts toward creating sound public policy that takes practical…
Top Gender and Security Moments of 2015
Looking back on the last year, there were a number of hallmark moments at the intersection of gender and security in the international community, some more positive than others.…
Why the US Should Cooperate With Investigations Into the Hospital Bombing
On December 12, the United Nations released a “special report” on human rights abuses and international humanitarian law violations that recently occurred in Kunduz, Afghanistan.…
The New African Commission General Comment on the Right to Life Is an Important Step Forward
During its final session of 2015 last month, the African Commission on Human and Peoples’ Rights adopted a General Comment on the right to life under the African Charter. General…
On Human Rights Day, One Year On: No Apology and No Accountability for US Torture
A year ago yesterday, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence released a redacted version of the executive summary of its exhaustive report on the CIA’s detention and interrogation…
A Legal Map of Airstrikes in Syria (Part 2)
Editor’s Note: This is the second post in a two-part series discussing the legal justifications various countries have put forth related to airstrikes in Syria. You can find…
A Legal Map of Airstrikes in Syria (Part 1)
Editor’s Note: This is the first post in a two-part series discussing the legal justifications various countries have put forth related to airstrikes in Syria. You can find…
International Law and the UN GGE Report on Information Security
The international community recently took an important step toward establishing global norms of behavior in cyberspace with the publication of the UN’s outcome report from its…
Where Will the Law of Self-Defense Go From Here?
Friday’s horrific attacks in Paris have now prompted retaliatory French airstrikes on Raqqa in Syria. Given the emotions that have been stirred up, it may seem unnecessary to…
The UN’s New “Code of Conduct” for Acting in the Face of Mass Atrocities
On October 23, the UN celebrated its 70th anniversary by launching an important new initiative that will support timely and decisive action by the UN Security Council to respond…
The UN Security Council’s New Resolution on Women, Peace, and Security
The United Nations Security Council this week unanimously adopted a new resolution on women, peace, and security meant to improve the UN’s agenda for these issues. The new resolution (UNSCR…
The UN Human Rights Council Supports Yemen’s “National Inquiry,” but Is It a Whitewash in the Making?
This week, in what the New York Times described as “a U-turn at the United Nations Human Rights Council,” the Netherlands withdrew a proposal for an international investigation…