COVID-19 and Conflict: Is Peace the Cure?
How a renewed focus on SDG 16 can help fight COVID-19 and salvage the Global Goals. At the start of 2020, before the coronavirus pandemic crashed over us all, Agenda 2030, our global commitment to sustainable development that could "leave no
How the Climate Crisis is Aggravating Human Conflict
Current debate around the climate crisis tends to focus on the weather-related effects, such as rising sea-levels, flooding and droughts, as well as the direct impact on human lives, like famines, forced migration and geopolitical shifts. Less has been said
Colombia: A Divided Country in Search of Peace
The construction of peace in Colombia has not been easy. Although the Peace Accord was signed in 2016 by the guerrilla organization, Fuerzas Armadas Revolucionarias de Colombia (FARC), different events have hindered the country’s progress towards pacification and stabilization. In April
The ICC is Taking a Pro-Active Approach to Myanmar
The International Criminal Court (the ICC) is the only permanent international criminal tribunal with the mandate to investigate and prosecute mass atrocities. However, the ICC is a treaty-bound tribunal, the treaty being the Rome Statute. This very fact prevents the
Women and Violent Extremism
Women are generally perceived as victims of violent extremism, terrorism, and armed-conflicts. This is largely true whenever women are forced to join violent groups or are abused in various ways in conflict and post-conflict zones. Here violence against women multiplies
The Role of Transitional Justice in Countries Emerging from Conflict
It is difficult enough for a society to emerge from poverty. But it is significantly more difficult when specific individuals and groups, often already among the poorest and most marginalized in society, have in the recent past been specifically targeted
Boko Haram’s Decline: A Positive Opportunity
Today’s release of the 2017 Global Terrorism Index highlights welcome news for Nigeria. The sub-Sahara African nation has been beleaguered by the activity of Boko Haram. The group, which has been active since 2002, became infamous globally following the abduction
Conversation about conflicts and human rights with Marcus Bleasdale
Marcus Bleasdale is a photographer who has been documenting some of the world's most brutal wars over the past eighteen years. Marcus covered the wars in Sierra Leone, Liberia, The Democratic Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, Somalia, Chad and
Global Conflicts: A 13.6 Trillion Dollar tab
With global conflict costing us $13.6 trillion a year, is there a case for investing in peace? The consequences of violence and armed conflict are unquestionably devastating, leading to the deaths of thousands of people they can reap havoc on a
Part II: Six Years Six Conflicts with Rick Findler
Editor's Note: This is the second of a two-part interview. The first part was published on the 26th of April and can be found here. In the Photo: A sniper belonging to the Kurdish special forces takes aim during a small
Water Politics in the Middle East
Water politics is the thirst for power through water. As water becomes an increasingly scarce resource, we will see its presence grow in global discourses, negotiations, and conflicts. Although water was considered essential for the realization of most human rights, it
The Burundi Crisis
A basic web search of Burundi today will return article titles such as, "Killings, Abduction and Torture Spread fear in Burundi", "Disappearances Blamed on the Police", and "Government Investigations Ignore State Abuses." More than 400 people have been killed and