Human Security Gateway: All Updates (English)

Service Notice: Human Security Gateway to be Discontinued

Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:51:23 -0700

Dear Human Security Gateway Users and Subscribers,

Please note that resources will no longer be added to the Human Security Gateway.

Currently, the over 34,000 resources that comprise the Human Security Gateway are in the process of being transferred to The Hive, an emerging platform offered by the World Bank. For more information about The Hive, please visit:
https://worldbankhive.logicaladvantage.com/_layouts/WBHive/Home.aspx

Once the transfer is complete, the existing website and database will be removed.

Thank you for your support and interest in the Human Security Report Project.

Best Regards,
The HSRP team SOURCE: Human Security Report Project

Moving Beyond the Numbers: Integrating Women into Peacekeeping Operations

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:16:56 -0700

This policy brief examines the steps needed to improve women’s participation in peacekeeping, highlights the problem inherent in commonly cited arguments for increasing women peacekeepers and proposes key recommendations.

In recent years some UN member states have attempted to increase the number of women in peacekeeping operations (PKOs) (including introducing all-female units) as part of an effort to mainstream gender in UN institutions, but also to challenge and transform the predominantly masculine PKO culture. However, these efforts are largely isolated and ad hoc. While all these efforts aim at increasing the number of women participants in PKOs, achieving gender balance does not automatically translate into gender equality or gender mainstreaming.

To increase the meaningful participation of women in PKOs, women need to be integrated into senior, decision-making and leadership posts; all-female contingents should be trained and deployed in, and integrated into mixed-gender environments; and deploy women who are ready to substantively change the PKO environment. Numerical targets, women’s “feminine qualities” and quick fixes for addressing sexual violence in PKOs aside, policymakers should deploy women to assist in gender mainstreaming in PKOs and in changing local women’s lives. SOURCE: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre

A Discussion on Afghanistan with General John Allen

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:12:24 -0700

On March 25, the Center for 21st Century Security and Intelligence at Brookings hosted General John Allen, former commander of the International Security Assistance Force, for a discussion of the U.S. and NATO mission in Afghanistan.

General Allen led forces in Afghanistan for 19 months, from mid-2011 through February 2013. Prior to that, Allen was deputy commander of the U.S. Central Command from June 2008 through mid-2011. Brookings Senior Fellow Michael O'Hanlon, just back from his most recent research trip to Afghanistan, joined General Allen in a discussion on the mission as it progressed during his time in command through the current period. SOURCE: Brookings Institution

Human Rights in Burma [Meeting Summary]

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 14:04:36 -0700

This is a summary of an event held at Chatham House on 4 March 2013. The speakers discussed the humanitarian situation in Burma, arguing that improvements in human rights have not kept pace with the country's momentum towards political and economic reform. SOURCE: Chatham House

Water Security & the Global Water Agenda: A UN-Water Analytical Brief

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 10:37:21 -0700

The new publication proposes a working definition of water security developed from contributions made by the broad range of organizations, agencies, programmes and institutions that form UN-Water. It is intended to serve as a starting point for dialogue on water security in the UN system. The Brief, produced by UN-Water Task Force on Water Security, aims to capture the dynamic and constantly evolving dimensions of water and water-related issues, and offers a holistic outlook for addressing water challenges through the umbrella of water security. SOURCE: UN Water

Displacement in Afghanistan: Post-2014 Origins, Current Situation and Potential Flows

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:35:04 -0700

This document provides an overview of the origins and current challenges of displacement flows by refugees and IDPs in Afghanistan. Furthermore, it presents, based on an open-source research, the potential flows that could occur in Afghanistan post 2014. Related information is available at www.cimicweb.org. Hyperlinks to source material are highlighted in blue and underlined in the text. SOURCE: NATO Civil-Military Fusion Centre

Is There a Preventive Action Renaissance? The Policy and Practice of Preventive Diplomacy and Conflict Prevention

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:18:44 -0700

Preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention are intended to stop armed conflicts before they escalate. Conflict prevention is a broader concept referring to the monitoring, containment, and reduction of risk factors that shape war onset, intensification, and spread. Both constructs were conceived in the latter half of the 20th century, which was characterised by a sizeable array of international or interstate wars. There has since been a growth in capacities to anticipate and prevent conflicts before they erupt. This report considers historical trends, emerging opportunities, and recurrent challenges associated with preventive diplomacy and conflict prevention. Recommendations for future conflict prevention activities include sharing but not aligning conflict analyses, aligning conflict analyses with local understandings and terminology, researching drivers of peace separately from drivers of violence, studying the micro-determinants of success in preventive action, beginning a dialogue on the co-ordination of preventive action, and ensuring sufficient and flexible financing for preventive action. SOURCE: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre

Confronting the Circle of Injustice: Threats and Pressure Faced by Lawyers in the North Caucasus

Fri, 22 Mar 2013 11:09:48 -0700

Human rights are under severe threat in the North Caucasus, a region in the Russian Federation comprising six republics – Chechnya, Dagestan, Ingushetia, Kabardino-Balkaria, Karachaevo-Cherkessia and North Ossetia – as well as Stavropol Krai (Region)1. The day-to-day lives of many people in the North Caucasus, as well as the wider political, economic and social context in this region of the Russian Federation, are very much defined by the threat which armed groups pose to security and the response from the Russian authorities. With regularly reported attacks against law enforcement officials, members of local administrations, prominent figures and members of the general public, the Russian authorities are faced with the need, and in fact have an obligation, to ensure that the local population can enjoy security. However, any efforts to combat the threat posed by armed groups, and in particular to identify and bring to justice those responsible for any alleged crimes, must observe the rule of law and fully respect human rights.

For years, Amnesty International has been receiving regular reports of human rights violations in the North Caucasus committed by members of law enforcement agencies in the context of the fight against armed groups. The organization has researched and documented numerous cases of human rights violations in the region, which include torture and other ill-treatment, as well as enforced disappearances and extrajudicial executions.2 Such violations are frequently characterised also by the lack of adequate response on the part of the Russian authorities. More often than not in such cases, the alleged violations are not investigated promptly, thoroughly, effectively, independently and impartially as required by international law.3 Other institutions too, have expressed concerns about the authorities’ failure to investigate and the problem of impunity in the region. In relation to the cases of a number of “human rights activists, lawyers and journalists”, the PACE expressed “its bewilderment and anguish at the fact that to date none of these cases has been elucidated by the investigating system” and insisted that the authorities “bring to trial in accordance with the law all culprits of human rights violations, including members of the security forces, and to clear up the many crimes which have gone unpunished”.4 SOURCE: Amnesty International

Governance, Identity, and Counterinsurgency: Evidence from Ramadi and Tal Afar

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:38:43 -0700

The premise of most Western thinking on counterinsurgency is that success depends on establishing a perception of legitimacy among local populations. The path to legitimacy is often seen as the improvement of governance in the form of effective and efficient administration of government and public services. However, good governance is not the only possible basis for claims to legitimacy. The author considers whether, in insurgencies where ethno-religious identities are salient, claims to legitimacy may rest more on the identity of who governs, rather than on how whoever governs governs. This monograph presents an analytic framework for examining these issues and then applies that framework to two detailed local case studies of American counterinsurgency operations in Iraq: Ramadi from 2004-05; and Tal Afar from 2005-06. These case studies are based on primary research, including dozens of interviews with participants and eyewitnesses. The cases yield ample evidence that ethno-religious identity politics do shape counterinsurgency outcomes in important ways, and also offer qualified support for the argument that addressing identity politics may be more critical than good governance to counterinsurgent success. Key policy implications include the importance of making strategy development as sensitive as possible to the dynamics of identity politics, and to local variations and complexity in causal relationships among popular loyalties, grievances, and political violence. SOURCE: Strategic Studies Institute

UNHCR Asylum Trends 2012: Levels and Trends in Industrialized Countries

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:34:58 -0700

Statistical overview of asylum applications lodged in Europe and selected non-European countries. SOURCE: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The Use of Evidence in Humanitarian Decision Making: ACAPS Operational Learning Paper

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:29:02 -0700

This paper reports the results of a study undertaken during 2012 by Tufts University for the Assessment Capacities Project (ACAPS), as part of the latter’s “Operational Learning” strand of work. This study is designed to complement the work of ACAPS on strengthening needs assessment by addressing the question of how assessments and other sources of information and analysis are used by humanitarian decision makers. The study is based on a combination of literature review, case studies, and key informant interviews.

The pressure to demonstrate that responses and claims about impact are grounded in evidence has been growing over recent years. Humanitarian donors are increasingly under similar pressures to demonstrate effectiveness and account for impact. This is partly a matter of showing that their decisions regarding policies and programs are well-founded and evidence-based. But, humanitarian contexts are almost by definition ‘‘non-ideal” for gathering data. Decisions often have to be made quickly, sometimes with relatively little access to current information or accurate data. The question about informed decision making may therefore come down to what constitutes a “well enough” informed decision in the circumstances; or what constitutes “good enough” information and analysis on which to base a response. Whatever the quality of information, no assumption can be made that the increased availability of good information and analysis will in itself result in better informed decisions. In reviewing the way decisions are made in practice, the study considers the ways in which such information is used (or not) at different points in the process, which varies across different kinds of decisions in different contexts.

The study is based around three main questions. First, how do decision makers in the humanitarian sector currently use information and analysis? Second, what factors, other than information and analysis, are influential in making decisions? Third, what would enable better-informed response decisions? In order to address these overarching questions, the study looks first at some of the main processes of decision-making in the humanitarian sector and the factors that appear to have most influence on decisions of different kinds. It goes on to look at the way information and analysis is currently generated in the humanitarian sector—both through formal and informal means—and related questions of relevance and credibility. These two topics are then brought together in addressing the question of the use of information by decision makers, and what might enable more informed and evidence-based response decisions. SOURCE: Feinstein International Center // Assessment Capacities Project

Fatal and Non-fatal Injuries Due to Intentional Explosions in Nepal: 2008-2011: Analysis of Surveillance Data

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:25:02 -0700

Background
Nepal is one of the post-conflict countries affected by violence from explosive devices. We undertook this study to assess the magnitude of injuries due to intentional explosions in Nepal during 2008-2011 and to describe time trends and epidemiologic patterns for these events.

Methods
We analyzed surveillance data on fatal and non-fatal injuries due to intentional explosions in Nepal that occurred between 1 January 2008 and 31 December 2011. The case definition included casualties injured or killed by explosive devices knowingly activated by an individual or a group of individuals with the intent to harm, hurt or terrorize. Data were collected through media-based and active community-based surveillance.

Results
Analysis included 437 casualties injured or killed in 131 intentional explosion incidents. A decrease in the number of incidents and casualties between January 2008 and June 2009 was followed by a pronounced increase between July 2010 and June 2011. Eighty-four (19.2%) casualties were among females and 40 (9.2%) were among children under 18 years of age. Fifty-nine (45.3%) incidents involved one casualty, 47 (35.9%) involved 2 to 4 casualties, and 6 involved more than 10 casualties. The overall case-fatality ratio was 7.8%. The highest numbers of incidents occurred in streets or at crossroads, in victims' homes, and in shops or markets. Incidents on buses and near stadiums claimed the highest numbers of casualties per incident. Socket, sutali, and pressure cooker bombs caused the highest numbers of incidents.

Conclusions
Intentional explosion incidents still pose a threat to the civilian population of Nepal. Most incidents are caused by small homemade explosive devices and occur in public places, and males aged 20 to 39 account for a plurality of casualties. Stakeholders addressing the explosive device problem in Nepal should continue to use surveillance data to plan interventions. SOURCE: Conflict and Health

Mali in the Aftermath of the French Military Operation: New Opportunities or Back to Square One?

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:18:05 -0700

While the planning process for the deployment of the African-led international support mission to Mali (AFISMA) was laboriously under way, events followed in rapid succession when the armed groups occupying the northern part of the country seized the town of Konna on 10 January 2013. This offensive triggered the French military `Operation Serval` and the arrival of AFISMA troops, including in Bamako, in support to the Malian army. In light of the new situation introduced by the military intervention, this report aims at analyzing the changing political and security dynamics while assessing the prospects for the management of the profound crisis of governance that contributed to taking Mali to the edge of the abyss. SOURCE: Institute for Security Studies

Check Your Blind Spot: Confronting Criminal Spoilers in the Sahel

Thu, 21 Mar 2013 10:11:58 -0700

Western governments focus heavily on the presence of Islamist extremists in the Sahel and have provided technical assistance in an attempt to strengthen the capacity of the security sectors and justice systems in the countries of the region to hold them back. But the preoccupation with West Africa’s war on terror has meant that the destabilising impact of organised crime has been consistently underestimated, if not ignored altogether. As rebuilding begins in Mali, all signs point to the same oversight happening again. Organised crime is not the primary driver of the current conflict in Mali, but any effort to stabilise or resolve this conflict should explicitly take the presence of organised crime, illicit resource flows and criminal networks into account. SOURCE: Institute for Security Studies

Jihadists in Jail: Radicalisation and the Indonesian Prison Experience

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 11:10:52 -0700

The issue of terrorist motivations and pathways towards violent extremism has been the subject of numerous studies in recent years. Much of that work, however, has focused on open source literature. Less attention has been given to understanding the individuals themselves and their personal experiences within terrorist organisations.

To help address this gap, ASPI and the Centre of Excellence for National Security, a constituent research unit of the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies (RSIS) in Singapore, undertook a joint research project to conduct personal interviews with members of the Jemaah Islamiyah (JI) terrorist organisation who are serving or have served prison sentences in Indonesia. The project was directed by Carl Ungerer. SOURCE: Australian Strategic Policy Institute // S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies

The Politics of Aid [Transcript]

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:43:58 -0700

This is a transcript of a speech made by Sir John Holmes, UN Emergency Relief Coordinator (2007-10), on 14 March 2013 at Chatham House. Sir John Holmes argue that despite the best efforts of humanitarian organizations, the provision of aid to the world's most vulnerable groups is not immune from political interference. He discussed the problems of dealing with the governments of both donor and recipient countries, drawing on his experiences in Sudan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Burma. SOURCE: Chatham House

Protecting Migrants During Times of Crisis: Immediate Responses and Sustainable Strategies

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:40:35 -0700

The International Dialogue on Migration 2012 aims to enhance synergies between humanitarian and migration perspectives in the search for appropriate responses to migration crises. The second workshop in the series focuses on the plight of migrants who are caught up in crises in their countries of transit or destination. When countries of destination or transit experience political turmoil, conflict or natural disasters, their migrant populations often have few means to escape and ensure their own safety. Risks and vulnerabilities are exacerbated when migrants are in an irregular situation, or when countries of origin lack the resources, capacity and access to protect and assist their nationals abroad. Some migrants may be unable or unwilling to leave the crisis zone, while others may be forced to cross borders into neighbouring countries. As a result, repercussions may be felt regionally and beyond. Ultimately, migrants may escape crises by returning or being evacuated to their countries of origin, but challenges do not end there: countries of origin may struggle to receive and reintegrate large numbers of returnees, while the sudden loss of remittances may leave their families and home communities without income. The departure of migrant workers may also leave gaps in the labour markets of countries of destination which may in fact depend on migrant labour for post-crisis recovery and reconstruction.

The overall objective of the workshop is to support States in devising a framework of policies and actions to address the situation of migrants in crisis situations. Consistent with IOM's mandate and Strategy Document (activity 7), the IDM provides a forum for IOM Member and Observer States, as well as international and non-governmental organizations and other partners, to share experiences and perspectives on migration matters with a view to identifying practical solutions and fostering greater cooperation. SOURCE: International Organization for Migration

Communities Shattered by Arms Proliferation and Abuse in Côte d’Ivoire

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 10:31:47 -0700

Reckless and illegal arms supplies from Europe, Africa and China to the warring parties in Côte d'Ivoire over the past decade continue to fuel grave human rights abuses and violent crime in the country, Amnesty International said in a detailed report launched at the United Nations (UN) headquarters.

This report documents how a handful of states and a network of multinational arms traffickers supplied weapons and munitions to both sides in the conflict who committed war crimes and a range of human rights abuses including horrific violence against women and girls. The arms transfers took place both before and after the UN Security Council imposed an arms embargo on the country in November 2004. SOURCE: Amnesty International

Diplomacy, Development, and Security in the Information Age

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:48:59 -0700

From Wikileaks to the aftermath of the Arab Spring, policymakers have been confronted with the thorny ramifications of ubiquitous global information flows. Two key phenomena have emerged as the new hallmarks of international relations: heightened transparency and increased volatility. They require a refocusing of the lens through which we view international affairs, and present both challenges and opportunities for state and non-state actors. These themes and more are explored in a new collection of essays, Diplomacy, Development and Security in the Information Age, edited by Shanthi Kalathil. Featuring contributions on issues ranging from cybersecurity to diplomacy and fragile states, the book points toward a foreign policy strategy of resilience, credibility and adaptability for harnessing opportunities in the information age. SOURCE: Georgetown University School of Foreign Service // Institute for the Study of Diplomacy

Russia: IDPs Increasingly Neglected Despite Continuing Needs

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:34:10 -0700

More than 14 years after they first fled their homes, at least 29,000 people are still internally displaced due to armed conflict and violence in the North Caucasus, and an unknown number of people are still displaced elsewhere in Russia.

Displacement induced by the threat and impact of natural hazards, especially floods and wild fires, continues to be significant in Russia. Though information on such displacement and the current situation of these IDPs is scarce.

Government figures of the number of internally displaced are not in line with international standards and international organisations stopped compiling statistics on IDPs displaced by armed conflict and violence in 2011. The lack of accurate figures limits the government’s ability to effectively uphold IDPs’ rights and address their specific needs.

Despite massive reconstruction and the declaration that the conflicts in North Ossetia and Chechnya are resolved, violence and human rights abuses are ongoing and impunity of insurgents and law enforcement authorities continues in the region. This obstructs sustainable return and integration.

The protracted conflict and insecurity, as well as dwindling assistance, lack of permanent housing and economic stagnation are obstacles to their self-reliance. Internal displacement is losing attention but not pertinence. SOURCE: Internal Displacement Monitoring Centre

Report of the United Nations Joint Human Rights Office (MONUSCO-OHCHR) on Deaths in Detention Centres in the Democratic Republic of Congo

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:30:19 -0700

A UN research into the human rights situation in detention centers in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) shows that the number of deaths in detention almost doubled in 2012, and that conditions of detention remain extremely poor in the vast majority of detention centres.

Between January 2010 and December 2012, a total of at least 211 civilians died in Congolese detention centers. In 2012, 101 such deaths were recorded compared to 54 in 2010 and 56 in 2011. The report notes that poor conditions, including overcrowding, malnutrition, limited access to health care and lack of resources, were the main causes of death, but also says that more than 10 percent of the deaths (24 cases) were caused by torture or ill-treatment, a finding it describes as “extremely worrying.”

The report, published Wednesday, details the results of in-depth research conducted by human rights officers working for the UN Joint Human Rights Office in the DRC (UNJHRO)* during visits to prisons and other detention centers throughout the country. SOURCE: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees // United Nations Organization Stabilization Mission in the DRC

Challenges to Security, Livelihoods, and Gender Justice in South Sudan

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:27:45 -0700

In South Sudan, widespread euphoria following independence in July 2011 has given way to disappointment that expected peace dividends have not materialised. Many South Sudanese are experiencing insecurity, a lack of access to basic services, and increasing inequalities. Pastoralist and agro-pastoralist communities in remote border areas are particularly affected by insecurity and by a lack of social services, and women are particularly marginalised. This report is the result of Oxfam research to enable the needs and views of conflict-affected communities to be voiced, heard, and addressed, particularly in relation to security and livelihoods and with an emphasis on women’s participation. It focuses on the security concerns expressed by the communities themselves: conflict within and between communities, cattle raiding, and violence against women. SOURCE: Oxfam

Investing in the Youngest: Early Childhood Care and Development in Emergencies

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:24:46 -0700

The first 8 years of a child’s life are the most critical in terms of development. Research has shown that under-nutrition, stressful conditions and poor stimulation during these years can affect brain structure and function. Between 2002 and 2006, 1.5 billion children in 42 countries were affected by crises. They may have survived the immediate disaster, but without interventions specifically aimed at their developmental needs, many may suffer the adverse effects for the rest of their lives. This report explains how – when disasters strike – Plan is working to save not just children’s lives, but their futures too. It shows the different impacts that disasters and emergencies can have on young children, and how Plan’s early childhood care and development (ECCD) in emergencies work is helping to limit those impacts. SOURCE: Plan International

Toward a European Institute of Peace: Innovative Peacebuilding or Excessive Bureaucracy?

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:21:58 -0700

The bulk of the European Union’s peacebuilding capacity resides within the European External Action Service or EEAS, a diplomatic corps led by High Representative Catherine Ashton. The EEAS and relevant U.S. civilian agencies face similar challenges and opportunities in their effort to operationalize conflict prevention. Several European leaders and members of the European Parliament propose the creation of a European Institute of Peace (EIP) as an innovative and cost-effective approach to enhance Europe’s peacebuilding capacity. This European version of the U.S. Institute of Peace (USIP) could practice more flexible diplomatic initiatives by engaging as an independent facilitator or participant in Track 1.5 dialogues, and serve as a knowledge center for training, best practices, and conflict analysis. Considering the financial and political climate in Brussels, a EIP is unlikely to materialize in the next two years. Once the economic storm has passed, the creation of an EIP variant appears very likely. SOURCE: United States Institute of Peace

Colombia: Contested Spaces Briefing Paper

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:18:27 -0700

Colombia has one of the longest-running armed conflicts in the world, as well as the highest number of internally displaced persons (IDPs). Oxfam research in the department of Nariño and in the Montes de María area of the department of Bolivar found that the Colombian government’s stabilization program (the National Consolidation Plan, or NCP) has not promoted peace, good governance, or sustainable development, as intended. The United States is one of the leading donors to NCP, along with Spain and the Netherlands. In the areas where we carried out our research, our interviewees clearly indicated that the NCP and other stabilization efforts had failed to make communities more secure, often leaving them less safe. We found severe limitations in attempts to promote conflict-sensitive development. This briefing paper explores these issues and offers recommendations to improve both security and development in Nariño and Montes de María. SOURCE: Oxfam

Disasters and Displacement: Improving Preparedness and Protection

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:16:20 -0700

In the past, forced displacement was usually the result of conflict and related human rights violations. However, people increasingly are being forced to leave their homes as a result of disasters. Over the past few years the number of people displaced as a result of natural disasters has far exceeded those displaced by conflict. Why is this happening? What are the consequences? And what can be done about it?

These issues were the focus of a workshop on forced displacement and natural disasters co-hosted by Norway and Switzerland in Vienna on September 5, 2012. The workshop brought together representatives from states as well as international and non-governmental organizations to share their experiences in dealing with post-disaster displacement and to discuss ways of finding durable solutions for those affected by such dramatic events. It also provided an opportunity to identify and close gaps in international law and policy, particularly in relation to the rights of persons who cross borders seeking refuge as a result of natural disasters. The workshop participants were also briefed on the new Nansen Initiative, an intergovernmental process launched by Norway and Switzerland that seeks normative and institutional measures to protect people displaced by natural disasters. SOURCE: International Peace Institute

Women Building Peace

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:13:22 -0700

Global policy highlights the importance of women’s participation in peace processes and peacebuilding. Yet the impact of international commitments is not felt on the ground. Most peace agreements do not address the specific concerns of women. And women are still excluded from political processes.

This first Accord Insight presents nine articles drawn from previous editions of Accord that examine the roles women have played in addressing violence and building peace. The case studies cover a period from 1998 to 2010 and contexts as far apart as Bougainville and Sierra Leone, Aceh and Northern Ireland. They document women’s first hand peacebuilding practice: the challenges they faced, the opportunities they created and the lessons they have drawn from their experiences.

The articles depict women in different contexts taking varying approaches to peacebuilding. They demonstrate women peace activists’ resilience and innovation to influence those set on violence, to mediate and promote reconciliation, and women’s capacity to mobilise and organise for peace despite exclusion from official negotiations. SOURCE: Conciliation Resources // Accord

Peña Nieto’s Challenge: Criminal Cartels and Rule of Law in Mexico

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 10:06:52 -0700

After years of intense, cartel-related bloodshed that has claimed tens of thousands of lives and shaken Mexico, new President Enrique Peña Nieto is promising to reduce the murder rate. The security plan he introduced with the backing of the three biggest parties gives Mexico a window of opportunity to build institutions that can produce long-term peace and cut impunity rates. But he faces many challenges. The cartels have thousands of gunmen and have morphed into diversified crime groups that not only traffic drugs, but also conduct mass kidnappings, oversee extortion rackets and steal from the state oil industry. The military still fights them in much of the country on controversial missions too often ending in shooting rather than prosecutions. If Peña Nieto does not build an effective police and justice system, the violence may continue or worsen. But major institutional improvements and more efficient, comprehensive social programs could mean real hope for sustainable peace and justice.

The development of cartels into murder squads fighting to control territory with military-grade weapons challenges the Mexican state’s monopoly on the use of force in some regions. The brutality of their crimes undermines civilian trust in the government’s capacity to protect them, and the corruption of drug money damages belief in key institutions. Cartels challenge the fundamental nature of the state, therefore, not by threatening to capture it, but by damaging and weakening it. The military fight-back has at times only further eroded the trust in government by inflicting serious human rights abuses. Some frustrated communities have formed armed “self-defence” groups against the cartels. Whatever the intent, these also degrade the rule of law. SOURCE: International Crisis Group

Syria: Summary Killings and Other Abuses by Armed Opposition Groups

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:32:59 -0700

The dead bodies found every day in towns and villages across Syria bearing marks of execution-style killing and torture are the grim evidence of mounting war crimes and other abuses being committed not just by government forces, but also by armed opposition groups in the context of the country’s bitter internal armed conflict. This briefing looks at serious abuses, some amounting to war crimes, committed by the burgeoning number of armed opposition groups operating in Syria, focusing mainly on summary killings. SOURCE: Amnesty International

State Terror in the Kachin Hills: Burma Army Attacks Against Civilians in Northern Burma

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 11:24:04 -0700

In late 2012, the Burma Army intensified military operations against strongholds of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA). This culminated in a massive offensive on the KIA headquarters at Laiza on the China-Burma border starting in mid-December. This month-long assault involved repeated mortar shelling and aerial bombings in the Laiza area, populated by 20,000 civilians, over half of whom are internally displaced persons (IDPs) who were denied refuge in China.

This report documents the killing or injury of 26 civilians, including women, children and the elderly, in Burmese artillery attacks in five areas during the recent military operations. The repeated authorization of artillery fire into areas populated by civilians, as well as deliberate torching of villages and IDP shelters, represent serious breaches of international humanitarian law, and are likely to amount to war crimes.

The humanitarian situation in Kachin areas remains critical, with 364 villages wholly or partially abandoned, and over 100,000 people internally displaced. Hardly any international aid has been provided to the 66,000 IDPs in Kachin-controlled areas.

There has been little international condemnation of the Burma Army aggression in Kachin State. Foreign governments appear more interested in pursuing diplomatic and economic engagement with Burma’s military-backed government. However, silence on the Burmese military’s crimes risks plunging Burma deeper into civil war, by emboldening Burma’s rulers to continue using force to crush the ethnic resistance movements.

The international community must strongly condemn the crimes committed by the Burma Army, and pressure the Burmese government to end all military aggression, begin troop withdrawal from Kachin areas of Burma, and enter into political dialogue with the Kachin Independence Army to address the demands for ethnic equality at the root of the conflict. SOURCE: Kachin Women's Association Thailand

2014: The Other Afghan Withdrawal

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:58:56 -0700

The withdrawal of international troops seems to have set in motion the beginning of a stampede whose consequences will only be known over time. Limiting the damage of what looks like a widespread and comprehensive withdrawal at all levels from governments, companies or individuals will be crucial for the stability of Afghanistan.

There is nothing fundamentally wrong with the withdrawal provided that the necessary assets, funding and support are put in place to fill the vacuum left by the international forces. Should this not be guaranteed, the current fears of growing insecurity could become a reality triggering or exacerbating some of the current negative trends.

The gradual decline of aid, if properly managed is not intrinsically bad. As the World Bank points out “less aid with more effective aid delivery could, in the end, lead to more positive outcomes”.

The resurgence of the Taleban insurgency in 2006 started to reverse the prevailing trust and optimism of the business community. This trend has been exacerbated since the announcement of the withdrawal calendar in 2009.

The burden of, and the capacity for, changing reality on the ground for investors remains largely in the hands of the Afghan government through the implementation of the necessary reforms and actions that would guarantee a reasonable level of hard and economic security.

Both, the transition and post transition periods pose a series of great challenges. However none are really new to the country, just the means to tackle them and the division of labour. SOURCE: Barcelona Centre for International Affairs (CIDOB)

Is Peaceful Political Transition in Afghanistan Possible?

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:54:13 -0700

This is a transcript of an event held at Chatham House on 12 March 2013. The panel discussed the international community's role in supporting Afghanistan after the 2014 withdrawal of international troops, including strategies for building up local security, the possibility of reconciliation with the Taliban, and how to address ongoing humanitarian needs in the country. Speakers included: Dr Robert Johnson, Jawed Nader, Matt Waldman. SOURCE: Chatham House

Accessories for Small Arms and Light Weapons

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:48:33 -0700

Accessories for small arms and light weapons have become increasingly sophisticated, making weapons more lethal and more versatile. Their trade, both in civilian and military markets, is often not given the degree of attention paid to the weapons themselves.

Accessories for Small Arms and Light Weapons, a new Research Note from the Small Arms Survey, defines accessories, explores their usage on the modern battlefield, and assesses the international trade in these items. The research note focuses on five subsets of accessories:

weapons sights, night vision devices, aiming lasers, laser rangefinders, and fire-control systems.

The Survey estimates the annual international trade in such items to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars. But data on international transfers of accessories is sparse: reporting requirements are quite limited, national reporting is vague or non-existent, and little is known about the illicit acquisition and use of accessories by armed groups and criminals.

This Research Note summarizes existing data on small arms accessories and highlights the gaps in this data. SOURCE: Small Arms Survey

Calming Troubled Waters: Global and Regional Strategies for Countering Piracy

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:44:23 -0700

This Report provides a summary of the deliberations as well as some very useful background papers from the Perth Counter-Piracy Conference held on 16–17 July 2012. The Conference addressed the issues of piracy and armed robbery against ships. It compared the situation in the three main areas where these crimes are most prolific -in Southeast Asia, off the coast of Somalia and in the Gulf of Guinea- with a view towards gaining ideas about the lessons to be learned and how the fight against piracy and sea robbery might be strengthened at the national, regional and international levels. SOURCE: Australian Strategic Policy Institute

Humanitarian Innovation and Refugee Protection

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:10:17 -0700

The global governance of humanitarianism has historically been state-centric but although a state-led and state-coordinated response is crucial and saves lives, by itself, it has limitations.

In response to the challenges faced by the sector, this paper puts forward an alternative vision based on the role of ‘humanitarian innovation’. The paper explores the potential of humanitarian innovation to transform core elements of the global governance of humanitarianism in general and refugee protection in particular.

It is structured in three broad sections. The first section provides a background to the work of UNHCR and the way in which the organisation is gradually incorporating a role for the private sector and innovation into its work. The second section explains what innovation is and how and why it is relevant to refugee protection.

In the third section, the paper sets out a vision for humanitarian innovation within the refugee context based on integrating a ‘looking inwards’ approach that builds upon refugees own ideas and agency and a ‘looking outwards’ approach that seeks to identify outside partners and solution-holders whose products, processes and mentorship might nurture and incubate innovation emerging at the local and national levels. SOURCE: Refugee Studies Centre // Oxford Department of International Development // University of Oxford

Syria: The Evolving Problem of Competing Militias

Mon, 18 Mar 2013 10:06:33 -0700

The war in Syria is currently in a particularly complex phase with conflicting reports of rebel progress. Jihadist militias are growing in strength and capability, making it probable that they will have considerable influence and even power in a post-Assad Syria. At the same time, there are indications that elements supporting the Assad regime, including the Iranian government, recognise this and are planning for the aftermath with their own militias. SOURCE: Oxford Research Group

The Cost of Security Risk Management for NGOs

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:36:07 -0700

EISF's Report explores the costs related to safety and security management for aid programmes. It aims to assist all aid practitioners to determine their risk management expenditure more accurately, and demonstrate an evidence-based approach when presenting this information to donors.

The paper will be particularly relevant to those responsible for programme planning and management, donor proposal writing, as well as safety and security risk management.

Aid donors may also find this text useful as it proposes methods and approaches for organisations to communicate and justify clearly their risk management resource needs.

Aid organisations must strive to achieve value for money while at the same time meeting humanitarian needs with limited resources, ensuring fiscal accountability, and meeting their duty of care to staff working in the field. This report considers how organisations can meet these challenges, and justify their expenditure to donors, the public and their beneficiaries.

The paper draws on evidence from outside the aid sector to examine how organisations could determine and record risk management costs. The result is a paper that the authors hope will stimulate further debate, leading to the development of practical tools and methodologies for costing security risk management. Some parts of the paper present known practices, other parts propose ideas to guide future policy and procedures. SOURCE: European Interagency Security Forum

Syria: Government Bombs Rain on Civilians

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:33:20 -0700

Civilians continue to be at the receiving end of increasingly frequent indiscriminate attacks by Syrian government forces. Imprecise weapons designed for the battlefield are killing, maiming and displacing growing numbers of civilians – many of them children. Unguided air-delivered bombs, artillery, rockets, and ballistic missiles which cannot be aimed at specific targets and do not distinguish between military targets and civilian objects, and internationally banned cluster munitions are being used daily against civilian residential areas in towns and villages, in utter disregard for the most fundamental principles of international humanitarian law.

Government forces also continue to commit other grave violations, including war crimes, notably they frequently arbitrarily detain, torture, disappear and extrajudicially execute men and boys suspected of support for armed opposition groups fighting the state or of support for political opposition to the government of President Bashar al-Assad.

In a recent two-week investigation in northern Syria Amnesty International visited 17 towns and villages in the Idlib, Jabal al-Zawiya and Jisr al-Shughour areas and Aleppo city, and carried out field investigations into indiscriminate attacks which killed more than 310 civilians (including more than 157 children and 52 women) and injured hundreds of others. The organization’s findings show that the frequency and scale of such attacks – which constitute war crimes - has increased in recent months, with disastrous consequences for the civilian population. SOURCE: Amnesty International

Losing the Syrian Grassroots: Local Governance Structures Urgently Need Support

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:29:42 -0700

The Syrian grassroots civilian opposition has been the primary engine of the popular uprising against the regime of Bashar Assad. Local arrangements for self-organization have evolved from so-called local coordination committees (LCCs), which are mainly involved in media work and the organization of protests. They have created sophisticated structures of civilian administration in the liberated areas of Syria. Currently, the protracted violence, sectarianism, radicalization, lack of coordination among rebel forces and deteriorating social conditions are putting the survival of these LCCs and local opposition councils in serious jeopardy. The achievements in bottom-up mobilization and organization, as well as the inclusiveness of these new organizations, could be crucial assets in building a democratic Syria. However, without outside support, already fragile state institutions, as well as the LCCs and local opposition councils, are in danger of collapse as communities face the dangers of disintegration. SOURCE: Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (German Institute for International and Security Affairs)

Arab Civil Society at the Crossroad of Democratization: the Arab Spring Impact

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 14:25:51 -0700

The uprisings that the Arab world has experienced since the end of 2010 have fundamentally affected all the countries of the region. In this context, while civil society has had a profound role to play, the level of development of civil associations in each of the countries of the region has not been irrelevant to the outcomes. The diversity in outcomes is matched by a similar differentiation in the nature of the states and regimes, with civil society experiencing a similar evolutionary path. This paper aims to identify the notion of civil society and its components vis-à-vis the Arab world, and accordingly to present a classification of the Arab states, based on the degree of the active presence of civil associations. The linkages between civil society and democracy are also explored. Finally the paper offers a set of policy suggestions with regard to the enhancement of Arab civil society. SOURCE: Center for International and European Studies

A Neo-Nationalist Network: The English Defence League and Europe’s Counter-Jihad Movement

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:51:31 -0700

With commentators and analyst offering descriptions ranging from populist street movement to racial-nationalists and fascists, it is clear that a great deal of uncertainty remains regarding the true nature of the English Defence League (EDL) and its European affiliates. The rise of this self-described “Counter-Jihad” movement in Europe, which seeks to combat the perceived threat of “Islamisation” through Europe-wide protests and awareness and advocacy campaigns, has added a new and complex element to the study of the far-right in Europe.

The last year has also seen a spread of the defence league concept to the continent, and Scandinavia in particular, where Norwegian, Swedish, Danish and Finnish defence leagues have emerged. As the original root of this new, strident Counter-Jihad movement in Europe, it is important to understand the history and origins of the EDL. This is comprehensively dealt with in the first section of the report.

Drawing on field-work in Europe and interviews with senior European defence league members, the first section also looks at how the movement has spread and how relationships have developed between the different defence leagues. For ease of reference, the authors have labelled this Europe-wide movement the European Counter-Jihad Movement (ECJM).

The second section of the report is devoted to evaluating a number of the different categories into which analysts have hitherto placed the ECJM, and arguing for the use of a previously ignored categorisation: cultural nationalism. This section will also explain how and why the ECJM can justifiably be referred to as “far-right”, even as it claims to fight for liberal enlightenment values and many of its core concerns overlap with those of mainstream political parties.

The third and fourth sections of the report look at how the movement is driven by a set of beliefs concerning a threat posed by the presence of the Islamic faith in European countries. Despite their irrationality, these beliefs have begun to coalesce into an identifiable “Islamisation ideology”, which holds that the current terrorist threat from extremist Islamists is not a modern political phenomenon but merely the latest manifestation of a centuries-long and ongoing effort by Muslims to conquer Western civilisation. Understanding this new ideology and its power to mobilise is especially urgent in the wake of Anders Behring Breivik’s August 2012 conviction in Norway for terrorism and premeditated murder, which found that his crimes were motivated by this very ideology and not brought on by mental illness. This report will therefore provide an in-depth analysis of the Islamisation ideology, its history and how Europeans have been mobilised in its cause. SOURCE: The International Centre for the Study of Radicalisation and Political Violence

Nigeria and the African Union in Light of the Arab Revolts

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:47:01 -0700

This paper analyses Nigeria’s role in the African Union (AU) and con-cludes that the latter is a strategic platform for the conduct of Nigeria’s foreign policy objectives in Africa. The study finds that the country has a ‘manifest destiny’ to play leadership roles in Africa and debunks the perception that Nigeria’s role in the AU is in decline. The paper further explores Nigeria’s AU priorities since the Arab revolts and concludes that the country’s ability to steer a clear course at the AU holds out pro-spects for peace, stability and security in Africa. SOURCE: The Nordic Africa Institute

A Global Review: UNHCR’s Engagement with Displaced Youth

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:43:00 -0700

UNHCR aims to be a fully age, gender and diversity inclusive organisation within the next four years. Yet the 2011 global analysis of UNHCR’s accountability frameworks for Age, Gender and Diversity (AGD) revealed that only 14% of its managers worldwide reported full achievement of targeted actions for adolescents. This stands as one of the top four gaps in implementing the AGD policy.

This review explores UNHCR’s engagement with displaced youth, refugees and IDPs, by analysing the agency’s mandate in relation to youth through its policies, guidelines and strategies, institutional infrastructure, approaches to identifying and responding to the needs of displaced youth, current funding, programmes and monitoring and evaluation processes. As general guidance this review uses the UN definition of youth, that is, the age group of 15-24 years; yet it recognises ‘youth’ as a social construct reflecting local understandings.

As age-disaggregated data is not currently collected for young people in the age group of 15-24 years, this report draws heavily on primary data collected as part of this review. The methodology includes a survey of selected UNHCR staff, interviews with field-based staff and implementing partners, and focus group discussions with youth in different displacement settings giving fascinating insight into current views, perceptions, programmes and operations from UNHCR itself as well as young displaced people. SOURCE: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Innovations in Governance: Evaluations and Research Studies on Electoral Accountability, Corruption and Multidimensional Peacekeeping

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:30:49 -0700

This paper provides an overview of current research and practice of governance evaluation covering three topics: electoral accountability, corruption, and multidimensional peacekeeping. It illustrates how previous evaluation challenges have been tackled using state-of-the-art methodologies, and how these methods are recently being used to explore causal mechanisms. This paper argues that evaluating interventions is necessary in order to advance our knowledge of governance, but that studies that test theories and assumptions, explain causes and consequences, and tackle measurement problems are equally important, especially for donor programming. By reviewing a range of ongoing and published evaluation and research studies, this paper extracts lessons for governance policy and for practice of governance evaluation. SOURCE: German Development Institute // Deutsches Institut für Entwicklungspolitik

Refugees and the Rashaida: Human Smuggling and Trafficking from Eritrea to Sudan and Egypt

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:27:30 -0700

Eritreans have been seeking asylum in east Sudan for more than four decades and the region now hosts more than 100,000 refugees1. East Sudan has also become a key transit region for those fleeing Eritrea. One route, from East Sudan to Egypt, the Sinai desert and Israel has gained increasing attention. According to UNHCR statistics, the number of Eritreans crossing the border from Sinai to Israel has increased from 1,348 in 2006 to 17,175 in 2011. Coupled with this dramatic growth in numbers, the conditions on this route have caused great concern. Testimonies from Eritreans have increasingly referred to kidnapping, torture and extortion at the hands of human smugglers and traffickers.

The smuggling route from Eritrea to Israel is long, complex and involves many different actors. As such, it cannot be examined in its entirety in a single paper. This analysis consequently focuses on the movement of people from Eritrea to east Sudan, and from east Sudan to Egypt. A review of testimonies from Eritrean refugees and key informant interviews provide an understanding of the situation from the available data.

The paper is structured as follows. Following brief contextual information the paper opens with an examination of motivations and aspirations to leave Eritrea based on testimonies collected by UNHCR and NGOs in Israel and Cairo. This includes an overview of the current situation in Eritrea and the importance of the Eritrean diaspora in decision making. Section two addresses the changing refugee dynamics in east Sudan and why Shagarab refugee camp has become predominantly a place of transit rather than refuge.

The following section examines the role of smugglers in east Sudan. One group of smugglers mentioned in many testimonies are from an ethnic group known as the Rashaida. In order to explain their ubiquity in testimonies this section places human smuggling in the context of wider processes of trade, underdevelopment in the region and Sudan-Eritrean relations. It argues that the actions of a small number of Rashaida involved in the process of smuggling Eritreans are one of the products, not causes, of insecurity in the region. However, this should not detract from or lessen the human rights violations taking place along the route. To conclude the challenges and possibilities for protection, assistance and security are reviewed.

This paper is not a definitive guide to the situation and some pertinent limitations should be stressed. The situation is highly complex, fluid and subject to rapid change. There is currently research being undertaken that will detail specific routes, locations and individuals involved whereas this paper will outline trends and historical developments from the available literature. It is also important to note the testimonies examined in this paper were collected from those who had reached NGOs and UNHCR offices in Egypt or Israel and had specific protection concerns.2 There is therefore a bias within the testimonies and they do not reflect the myriad journeys and experiences of those who did not reach either of these destinations. SOURCE: United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

Sliding into the Fray: Jordan and Israel in the Syrian Conflict

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:21:52 -0700

Fearful of the fallout from the rise of Islamism, global jihad and chemical weapons, Israel and Jordan have adopted a policy of containment and damage limitation towards Syria’s two-year civil war, leaving the warring parties to spar with and weaken each other. The two countries have expressed hopes for the demise of the Assad regime, but unlike Syria’s other neighbours – Turkey, Lebanon and Iraq – they have stopped short of allowing the rebels to open conduits through their territories. Unlike Syria’s other crossings, official border crossings into Jordan have remained either closed or in government hands. The Syrian uprising began in the south, in Dara’a on Jordan’s borders, but bereft of supply lines to sustain itself, it quickly moved north, closer to borders where the rebels were better able to procure the fuel, arms, and men required to take and hold territory. However, Israel’s and Jordan’s hands-off posture could be changing. Israel has reportedly bombed a consignment of Syrian arms apparently bound for Lebanon. And such is Jordan’s need to replenish its depleted coffers and so great its fear of popular discontent that in return for increased financial aid it is increasingly bowing to Saudi pressure to open its borders to rebel supplies, bolstering the performance of rebel forces in the south after a series of setbacks. Jordan hopes that Western reinforcements along its northern border will protect it against the chances of blowback. But the risks are manifold. Unlike Iraq’s conflict, from which Jordan was cushioned by 700 kilometres of desert, the war in Syria rages on Jordan’s populous northern border. Already 300,000 refugees have spilled into the kingdom, and both Jordan and Israel fear the conflict could increasingly travel with them. SOURCE: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre

Bahrain's Persistent Troubles

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:19:45 -0700

The Gulf Co-operation Council (GCC) states have appeared to have largely escaped the turmoil sweeping through the Arab world since early 2011. But outward appearances are deceiving; nowhere more so than in Bahrain. The Arab awakening did not create the eruption of Bahraini popular protests in February 2011 but, given a century of grievances in the island state, it provided encouragement. The struggle between the regime and ruling family on the one hand and an increasingly restive citizenry does not bode well for the future. Muted criticism from Western countries has only stiffened the tough posture of the hardliners within the ruling family and generated resentment from a growing proportion of Bahrainis. Despite the initiation of a renewed, government-sponsored “dialogue”, the chasm between the two sides remains as wide and deep as ever. SOURCE: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre

Violence, Vulnerability and Migration: Trapped at the Gates of Europe

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:11:29 -0700

Over the last ten years, as the European Union (EU) has tightened its border controls and increasingly externalised its migration policies, Morocco has changed from being just a transit country for migrants en route to Europe to being both a transit and destination country by default. MSF’s experience demonstrates that the longer sub-Saharan migrants stay in Morocco the more vulnerable they become. This preexisting vulnerability, related to factors such as age and gender, as well as traumas experienced during the migration process, accumulates as they are trapped in Morocco and subjected to policies and practices that neglect, exclude and discriminate against them.

MSF’s data demonstrates that the precarious living conditions that the majority of sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco are forced to live in and the wide-spread institutional and criminal violence that they are exposed to continue to be the main factors influencing medical and psychological needs. MSF teams have repeatedly highlighted and denounced this situation, yet violence remains a daily reality for the majority of sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco. In fact, as this report demonstrates, the period since December 2011 has seen a sharp increase in abuse, degrading treatment and violence against sub-Saharan migrants by Moroccan and Spanish security forces. This report also reveals the widespread violence carried out by criminal gangs, including bandits and human smuggling and human trafficking networks. It provides a glimpse into the shocking levels of sexual violence that migrants are exposed to throughout the migration process and demands better assistance and protection for those affected.

These unacceptable levels of violence should not overshadow the achievements that have been made in recognition and respect for sub-Saharan migrants’ right to health over the last ten years. Progress has been made, however considerable challenges remain, particularly with regard to non-emergency, secondary care, care for people with mental health problems and protection and assistance for survivors of sexual violence. Further investment and reform of the healthcare system is needed, however the impact of the progress made to date and any future reforms will be limited unless concrete action is taken to address the discrepancy between European and Moroccan policies which view migration through a security prism and criminalise, marginalise and discriminate against sub-Saharan migrants in Morocco and those which protect and uphold their fundamental human rights.

This report highlights the medical and psychological consequences of this approach and the cumulative vulnerability of the significant numbers of sub-Saharan migrants who are trapped in Morocco. In doing so it calls, once again, on the Moroccan authorities to respect their international and national commitments to human rights, develop and implement protection mechanisms and ensure that sub- Saharan migrants are treated in a humane and dignified manner, no matter what their legal status. SOURCE: Medecins Sans Frontieres // Doctors Without Borders

Childhood Under Fire: The Impact of Two Years of Conflict in Syria

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 11:04:50 -0700

In a new report, "Childhood Under Fire," launched to mark two years of violence in Syria, Save the Children details the impact of the conflict on children, showing that many are struggling to find enough to eat; are living in barns, parks and caves; are unable to go to school with teachers having fled and schools being attacked; and that damage to sanitation systems is forcing some children to defecate in the street.

Citing new research carried out amongst refugee children by Bahcesehir University in Turkey, the report also reveals the extent to which children have been directly targeted in the war, with one in three children reporting having been hit, kicked or shot at.

Combined with the breakdown of society in parts of the country and more than three million people displaced, the conflict has led to the collapse of childhood for millions of youngsters.

"Childhood under Fire" details how some young boys are being used by armed groups as porters, runners and human shields, bringing them close to the frontline, while some girls are being married off early to 'protect' them from a widely-perceived threat of sexual violence. SOURCE: Save the Children

Advancing the UN’s Women, Peace and Security Agenda

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 12:19:13 -0700

In this brief the author examines the UN’s primary roadmap for operationalizing its women, peace and security agenda: the 2010 Seven-Point Action Plan on Gender-Responsive Peacebuilding. He points out that despite the Action Plan’s endorsement by the Secretary-General and his senior leadership team, implementation has been extremely disappointing. He also suggests strategies with which member states can help to strengthen the agenda implementation. SOURCE: Norwegian Peacebuilding Resource Centre