Wednesday, November 13, 2024
The Latest @ USIP: How Civil Society is Addressing Haiti’s Crisis
In the past few years, life in Haiti has been dominated by gangs’ growing control over huge swathes of the capital, Port-au-Prince. For Haitian families, this crisis has meant extreme violence, pervasive unemployment, lack of education for children and reduced access to health care. 2023 Women Building Peace Award finalist Dr. Marie-Marcelle Deschamps serves as the deputy executive director, the head of the women's health program and the manager of the clinical research unit of GHESKIO Centers in Port-au-Prince. She spoke to USIP about how her work helps women and their families, and what the global community can do to help Haitian civil society address this devastating humanitarian crisis.
The Latest @ USIP: Democratic Renewal in Africa
Democracy remains quite popular throughout Africa. But many Africans see a mismatch between the promises of democratic governance and their leaders’ inability to address prolonged bouts of corruption, abuse and insecurity. This mismatch can often lead to a political culture that sees military coups as a viable alternative. Jide Okeke, regional coordinator for Africa at the U.N. Development Programme, discusses the risk factors that precipitate military coups, and the steps that regional and international actors can take to strengthen democratic governance and security.
A Conversation with Chadian Prime Minister Succès Masra
Nearly three years into its transition process, Chad faces a pivotal milestone: the organization of presidential and local elections in 2024. Against a backdrop of regional turbulence and instability, the holding of credible and transparent elections in Chad will be a key test for democracy and durable peace. USIP spoke with Chad’s new Prime Minister Succès Masra on pathways to strengthen civic space and political participation ahead of Chad’s general elections and how Chad’s transition might inform other political transitions throughout Africa.
The Latest @ USIP: Children Born of War
Unfortunately, children born as a result of conflict-related sexual violence have been overlooked in the international community’s peacebuilding agenda for a long time. Eunice Otuko Apio, a member of Uganda's Parliament and a finalist for USIP’s 2022 Women Building Peace Award, discusses why children born of war have historically been marginalized in peace processes, how resources can be used to support them and their families more effectively, and how women can contribute to peacebuilding more broadly.
The Latest @ USIP: Grassroots Efforts to Address Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis
More than half of Sudan’s population of 46 million is in need of humanitarian assistance -- and less than a quarter of them are actually receiving aid amid the country’s civil conflict. Sara Pantuliano, the chief executive for the Overseas Development Institute, discusses the current crisis in Sudan, why Sudan is important for global peace and how grassroots organizations in the country can help deliver aid to places that international organizations cannot reach.
USIP Explains: How Religious Freedom Promotes Peace and Security
In almost every society, religious belief can guide the actions of people in both positive and negative ways. For peacebuilders, it’s important to understand the religious landscape in communities affected by conflicts and violence. USIP’s Knox Thames discusses how promoting openness to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and belief can help de-escalate violence and lead to better stability and security.
The Latest @ USIP: U.S.-Australia Cooperation in the Pacific Islands
Spanning a vast part of the globe, the Pacific Islands are neighbors to both the United States and Australia — which makes their security and prosperity deeply intertwined with our own. Pat Conroy, Australia’s minister for international development and the Pacific, discusses how the United States and Australia can work together to deliver on our commitments to address the region’s most pressing challenges such as climate change, economic growth and stability.
The Latest @ USIP: How to Address Sudan’s Humanitarian Crisis Amid War
Nearly nine months into Sudan’s civil conflict, the fighting has not only upended daily life across the country, but also disrupted Sudan’s already shaky economic and social services — leaving millions in need of dire humanitarian assistance. Patrick Youssef, regional director for Africa at the International Committee of the Red Cross, discusses how the conflict is affecting Sudan’s civilian population and why some sort of agreement between the warring sides is the only way to safely clear avenues for humanitarian intervention.
The Latest @ USIP: U.N. Engagement in Afghanistan
While some parts of the Afghan economy managed to stabilize in 2023, poverty continued to increase and now stands at 69 percent of the population. Kanni Wignaraja, director for Asia and the Pacific at the U.N. Development Programme, discusses UNDP’s efforts to build resilience in local markets and promote women-owned enterprises in Afghanistan; explores ways to navigate relations with the Taliban; and examines how the decline in international aid is affecting humanitarian efforts in the country.
Ask the Experts: The Genocide Convention 75 Years On
Since the Genocide Convention was introduced 75 years ago, the crime of genocide has become so well known and so well understood that the international backlash is nearly instantaneous — and holding perpetrators accountable for this crime is foundational to many international judicial systems, from the tribunals for the former Yugoslavia and Rwanda in the 1990s to the prosecution of the Khmer Rouge in Cambodia. USIP’s Andrew Cheatham spoke with David Scheffer, the former U.S. ambassador at-large for war crimes issues and professor at Arizona State University, about the history of the Genocide Convention and the mechanisms by which genocide and other atrocity crimes are prosecuted.