European Peace Institute / News

As efforts to mitigate and adapt to the impacts of climate change fall short, discussions around loss and damage (L&D) resulting from climate change have gained urgency. These discussions pivot on questions around financing, which remains very limited. Going into the twenty-seventh UN Climate Change Conference (COP27), the call for a new L&D financial mechanism has been raised by developing countries.

This paper provides a brief overview of the state of play of global negotiations on L&D and explores options for funding arrangements for addressing L&D in the context of the positions of the G77 and Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). The paper considers options related to four key questions concerning a new mechanism for financing L&D:

1. Where will it be located? A new L&D financial mechanism could be located within the climate regime. However, there could also be complementary mechanisms outside the climate regime.
2. Who will pay for it? There are two broad options for funding: ask for public contributions from donors or impose new taxes. An L&D financial mechanism could adopt both approaches, though some taxes could negatively impact some of the very countries advocating for L&D.
3. Who will control it? Any mechanism should be guided by the principle of Common But Differentiated Responsibility and should be new and additional; needs-based, adequate, and predictable; public and grant-based; guided by vulnerability criteria; and locally driven.
4. What will it do? The fund should make clear how L&D is both distinct from and linked to mitigation and adaptation and should take special care to address critical gaps in financing for slow-onset and noneconomic losses.

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The UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) was among the first special political missions to receive climate-related language in its mandate, reflecting Somalia’s acute vulnerability to the impact of climate change. In 2020, UNSOM also became the first mission to have an environmental and climate adviser deployed to help implement this mandate. The adviser’s work is structured around three pillars:

1. Mainstreaming the environment and climate throughout the mission’s mandated areas of work;
2. Coordinating UN agencies, government actors, and NGOs working on climate across the humanitarian, development, and peacebuilding sectors; and
3. Supporting the government in developing, funding, and coordinating its climate action plans and policies.

This issue brief reviews the role of the environmental and climate adviser in Somalia, including their areas of work, successes, challenges, and opportunities for replication in other mission settings. Strong buy-in from both mission leaders and national and regional counterparts has facilitated the adviser’s ability to help the mission implement its mandate relating to climate change, environmental degradation, and other ecological challenges. Furthermore, the adviser has successfully helped to coordinate climate-related work, incorporate strategic analyses into climate-related risk assessments and responses, and liaise with local actors. The adviser has also faced challenges, including the broad scope of work tasked to a single person and the unique set of skills required, as well as the political contention surrounding the concept of climate security.

The brief concludes by looking ahead to the growth of environmental and climate advisers in other UN missions and the importance of understanding and addressing interlinkages among climate, peace, and security as the impacts of climate change accelerate.

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Peacekeeping operations are among the largest contributors to the UN’s environmental footprint, as well as the biggest potential vectors for pollution. Without strong environmental standards, these operations risk not just damaging local environments, but also negatively impacting the health and safety of local populations and compromising the UN’s reputation and legitimacy. The UN has taken steps to improve its missions’ environmental practices, but these efforts have largely focused on the actions of the UN Secretariat and not those of member states. Less attention has been paid to the role of member states, which supply a considerable portion of the equipment used in peacekeeping operations.

This issue brief analyzes how environmental considerations have emerged in discussions about UN peacekeeping operations and the financial incentives governing contingent-owned equipment (COE). It provides an overview of UN peacekeeping missions’ environmental footprint and the policies that have emerged in response. It also examines the evolution of environmental issues in the UN General Assembly’s COE Working Group, the dynamics that affect how member states engage in these negotiations, and current best practices for improving environmental standards for COE.

The paper concludes by suggesting important points member states should consider in future discussions surrounding the COE framework:

• Member states will need to expand their focus beyond renewable energy to consider the myriad of ways in which their deployments impact the environment, including waste and pollution.
• Adjustments to the COE framework hinge on progress both by member states and by the UN Secretariat.
• Member states would benefit from a dedicated forum for sharing data and best practices on environmentally friendly equipment.
• The pace of climate change-induced environmental degradation is accelerating, with an especially profound impact on conflict-affected countries. Reducing missions’ environmental footprints is necessary not just to mitigate environmental degradation but also to improve their ability to implement their mandates.

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On September 23rd, IPI in partnership with the Kofi Annan Foundation, Open Society Foundations, and International Crisis Group cohosted the inaugural event in the Kofi Annan Lecture Series featuring H.E. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados.

The Honourable Mia Amor Mottley, Q.C., M.P., became Barbados’ eighth and first female Prime Minister on May 25, 2018. In 2022, Mia Mottley was named one of TIME magazine’s 100 most influential people. From poverty to climate change, she is internationally recognized for her leadership on pressing global issues.

At IPI, Prime Minister Mottley spoke to a combined in–person and virtual audience of over 2,000. Her speech honored Kofi Annan’s legacy and examined some of the greatest challenges facing leaders today, including the pandemic, the climate and energy crisis, and a growing deficit of trust. H.E. Mia Mottley called for social and economic inclusion, debt relief instruments, and a new “truly inclusive” international system. 

Her speech imparted the importance of Kofi Annan’s deeply held values: collective responsibility, global solidarity, rule of law, mutual accountability, and multilateralism. “The lessons from Kofi Annan’s life and work, actions, and words speak clearly to us, here and now,” she concluded. “We know what we need to do as a global community.”

The series provides an opportunity for leaders to set out new ideas and agendas for international cooperation and diplomacy, recalling Secretary-General Annan’s role in championing rules-based cooperation and sustainable solutions.

Welcome Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO
Nane Annan, Wife of His Excellency the late Kofi Annan, Member of the Board of Directors of the Kofi Annan Foundation
Mark Malloch-Brown, President of the Open Society Foundations

Featured Speaker:
H.E. Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados

Concluding Remarks:
Comfort Ero, President of International Crisis Group
The Honorable Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

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IPI together with the Government of Sweden and the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, in cooperation with the Folke Bernadotte Academy, cohosted the annual Women, Peace, and Leadership Symposium at IPI on September 21st. The topic of this year’s symposium centered on “Achieving Sustainable Peace and Security through Gender-Responsive Leadership.”

A gender-responsive leader proactively uses her or his leadership and management skills to promote gender equality in the workplace as well as in the organization’s operations. Gender-responsive leadership is essential for building gender-equal peace and security organizations. It also supports more successful implementation of the Women, Peace, and Security agenda.

Presentations at the event focused on good practices, challenges, and opportunities around gender-responsive leadership and how leaders have incorporated this concept into their daily work to advance gender-equal peace and security.

The discussants identified major obstacles facing the WPS agenda, including a significant lack of resources, accountability, and political will. Speakers also recognized the problematic tendency to treat WPS issues as separate from other geopolitical issues. Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden Ann Linde emphasized the interconnectedness of WPS issues and other issues, including the climate, energy, and food crises, and conflict in Ukraine. “In all these situations, women and girls are among those who are affected the most,” said Linde. “This is why the Women, Peace and Security agenda is more important and more relevant than ever.”

The speakers concluded that the WPS agenda must be integrated across dimensions, prioritized in peace talks, and bolstered through accountability measures.

Speakers:
H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden
H.E. Ms. Yōko Kamikawa, Member of the House of Representatives of Japan; Former Minister of Justice; and Former Minister of State for Gender Equality and Social Affairs, Japan
H.E. Mr. Carlos Ruiz Massieu, SRSG and Head of the UN Verification Mission in Colombia
Ms. Kaavya Asoka, Executive Director of NGO Working Group on Women, Peace and Security

Moderator:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

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On September 20th, the Governments of the United States and Sweden, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), and IPI hosted a high-level panel on “Advancing Climate Security in the Year of Implementation.”

The event highlighted ways climate security interventions at the local, regional, national, and international levels can be invested in and scaled, practical solutions to advance them, and the policies needed at the global level to raise ambition.

Speakers emphasized the geopolitical connection between the climate crisis and other conflicts. “Make no mistake, resolving the climate crisis is intricately related to the making of peace… Climate change is a threat multiplier, and those threats are multiplying,” said John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate.

Other discussions focused on inclusivity in climate negotiations, building connections between local and regional actors, and the prospect of a low-carbon economy. 

Opening Remarks:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President

Speakers:

Ms. Nisreen Elsaim, Chair of UN Secretary-General’s Youth Advisory Group on Climate Change
H.E. Ms. Ann Linde, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Sweden
T.H. Mr. John Kerry, U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Climate
Mr. Christian Guillermet-Fernández, Vice Minister of Multilateral Affairs of Costa Rica
H.E. Ms. Aminath Shauna, Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Technology, The Republic of Maldives
Ms. Rosemary DiCarlo, Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs

Moderator:
Mr. Dan Smith, Director of SIPRI

 

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On September 19th, Peace Direct hosted a discussion at the International Peace Institute on “Doing Aid Better: Actions to Support Local Leadership in Policy, Funding, and Practice.”

The conversation explored actions the international community can take to shift policy, funding, and practice in support of local civil society efforts and to change the power dynamics to ensure a meaningful seat at the table for local actors. “If it’s about us, without us, it’s not for us,” said Elana Aquino, US Executive Director of Peace Direct, speaking to the importance of localization. 

The conversation also addressed unequal aid funding flows and potential solutions, and concluded that successful localization efforts depend on international support. Speakers agreed that in order to build a new model of locally-led inclusive development, we must “build together,” engage in an open dialogue, and continue to challenge others in the sector.  

Welcome Remarks:
Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President

Speakers:
Samantha Power, Administrator, USAID
Lysa John, Secretary General, CIVICUS
Anita Kattakuzhy, Director of Policy, NEAR
Don Gips, CEO, Skoll Foundation

Moderator:
Elana Aquino, US Executive Director, Peace Direct

Closing Remarks:
Peter Laugharn, President & CEO, Hilton Foundation

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IPI together with the Institute for Economics and Peace (IEP), the Permanent Missions of Denmark and Finland to the UN, the Sasakawa Peace Foundation, and the Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung (FES) cohosted the launch event “For Good Measure: Introducing the Multilateralism Index” on September 19th.

The index provides an evidence-based assessment of multilateralism by measuring changes in international cooperation over the period 2010–2020. By providing a qualitative assessment of the multilateral system, it serves as an analytic tool to inform decision-making and guide political attention.

While there is consensus that multilateralism is being challenged, the scope and magnitude of this crisis is unknown. Without an agreed set of metrics to track trends in multilateralism over time, we cannot have informed debates on what and where the greatest challenges lie.

The Multilateralism Index aims to fill this gap. The index measures participation, performance, and inclusivity across five key domains of multilateralism: (1) peace and security; (2) human rights; (3) environment; (4) global public health; and (5) trade.

The event provided an opportunity to present the key findings of the index and discuss concrete ways to create a stronger, more nimble multilateral system to meet the challenges of today and of the coming decades.

Welcoming Remarks:
The Honorable Kevin Rudd, Former Prime Minister of Australia, Chair of the IPI Board of Directors

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Jeppe Kofod, Foreign Minister of Denmark
H.E. Kai Sauer, Under-Secretary of State of Finland
Dr. Atsushi Sunami, President, Sasakawa Peace Foundation

Keynote Presentations:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO
Mr. Alex Vedovi, Research Fellow, IEP

Discussants:
Dr. Comfort Ero, President, International Crisis Group
H.E. María Fernanda Espinosa, President of 73rd UN General Assembly and former Foreign Minister of Ecuador

Moderator:
Dr. Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

Closing Remarks:
Dr. Michael Bröning, Executive Director, FES New York

Figure 1: Results of the Multilateralism Index (Click for full graphic)

In the past several years, there has been a much-discussed rise in strain on multilateralism. However, there have been few efforts to quantifiably assess the state of the multilateral system. This Multilateralism Index (MI) report is the first known attempt to do so. It focuses on developments in the system over the past decade, providing a snapshot of its relative strength in 2020 compared to 2010. It seeks to answer questions including: What is the state of the multilateral system? What is working? What is not? And how has the multilateral system changed over time?

The MI examines five domains of multilateral coordination: Peace and Security, Human Rights, Environment, Public Health, and Trade. Each domain is evaluated across three dimensions: Participation, Performance, and Inclusivity. Analysis of sixty-five indicators across these domains and dimensions reveals several trends in multilateral cooperation over the past decade:

• Participation scores for Human Rights, Public Health, and Trade have improved, while the scores for Peace and Security and Environment have deteriorated.
• Performance scores have deteriorated in four out of five domains.
• Inclusivity scores have improved across all five domains.

These trends shed light on the nature of the crisis of multilateralism. Rather than decreased international cooperation and widespread exit from multilateral institutions, we are seeing a battle over the nature and purpose of the multilateral system—not decay, but transformation. The MI provides a basis for tracking this transformation and informing decision making on the future of multilateralism.

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IPI and the UN Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs (DPPA) cohosted the official launch of DPPA’s Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires on September 14th.

While every ceasefire mediation is unique, DPPA’s Guidance on Mediation of Ceasefires presents a set of tools and approaches to strengthen agreements to support a more sustainable peace process in any setting. Its goal is to provide a baseline of technical knowledge to UN and other mediators, conflict parties, and other stakeholders in contemporary mediation processes, such as representatives of states and regional organizations, national and international nongovernmental organizations, and women’s groups.

Welcome Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and Chief Executive Officer
Asif Khan, Chief of Mediation Support Unit, UN DPPA

Speakers:
Nicholas Haysom, Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General for South Sudan and Head of the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS)
Karin Landgren, Executive Director of Security Council Report and former Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General in Nepal, Burundi, and Liberia
Jeffrey Mapendere, Chief Security Arrangements Advisor of Reconstituted Joint Monitoring and Evaluation Commission (R-JMEC), South Sudan

Moderator:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and Chief Executive Officer

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On September 7th, IPI in partnership with the Grace Farms Foundation, UNESCO, UN Women, and United Kingdom Mission to the UN cohosted a discussion with the President of IPI, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, and British artist and activist, Hannah Rose Thomas, who has contributed to building a culture of peace and reconciliation through her innovative work within refugee communities.

The event featured works from the art exhibit “Tears of Gold,” which include portraits of Yezidi, Rohingya, and Nigerian women. The paintings are a visual testimony not only of war and injustice, but also of humanity, dignity, and resilience.

Welcome Remarks:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President
Sharon Prince, CEO and Founder of the Grace Farms Foundation
Dame Barbara Woodward, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN
Eliot Minchenberg, Director of Office and UNESCO Representative to the UN in New York
Asa Regner, Deputy Executive Director of UN Women

Click each portrait to read the women’s testimonies

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IPI, in partnership with the Republic of Korea, organized a public policy forum on August 11th, bringing together youth-led organizations working on digital education in areas affected by economic and political crises in the post-pandemic era. The aim of this event was to provide an opportunity for young people to share innovative solutions for supporting the education of children and youth around the world.

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the education sector and resulted in the closing of schools around the world. Access to education services was disrupted for more than 1.6 billion children and youth globally. While many countries were able to switch to online education, many developing countries, especially those experiencing multiple crises, could not provide online education due to a lack of affordable technology and resources, economic contractions, political uncertainty, and other reasons. As the COVID-19 pandemic and other crises continue to strain national budgets, there is an urgent need to ensure education remains a priority for governments.

In his report on “Our Common Agenda,” the UN Secretary-General stressed the need for young people to be better prepared for such challenges and the need to strengthen and update the education system globally. This September, the Secretary-General is organizing a summit on “Transforming Education” that seeks to mobilize commitment and action to accelerate progress on improving education for all to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

This policy forum comes at a strategic point in time, one month after SDG 4 on quality education was reviewed at this year’s High-Level Political Forum, and on the eve of International Youth Day.

Opening Remarks:
H.E. Ambassador Jongin Bae, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Republic of Korea to the UN
H.E. Dr. Michal Mlynár, Permanent Representative of Slovakia to the UN and UNICEF Executive Board President, a.i.

Speakers:
Victoria Ibiwoye, Youth Engagement Lead, Education 2030, UNESCO
Pashtana Durrani, Executive Director, LEARN Afghanistan (@LearnAfg)
Nhial Deng, Refugee and Peace Activist, South Sudan
Abheejit Khandagale, Founder, Ekatra; Top Innovator, UpLink—World Economic Forum

Moderator:
Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO

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On July 7th, IPI hosted a Global Leaders Series event featuring a conversation with The Honorable Kevin Rudd on his newest book The Avoidable War: The Dangers of a Catastrophic Conflict Between the U.S. and Xi Jinping’s China.

The Honorable Kevin Rudd has studied, lived in, and worked with China for more than forty years. The Avoidable War demystifies the actions of both the US and China, explaining and translating them for the benefit of the other. The conversation at IPI focused on the book’s relevance to the multilateral system.

Speaker:
Kevin Rudd, 26th Prime Minister of Australia, President of the Asia Society, and Chair of IPI’s Board of Directors

Moderator:
Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, IPI President and CEO

The UN Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) by the end of July 2022. Deliberations on UNSMIL’s mandate are unfolding amid a protracted political impasse. Since March, renewed competition between the two rival executives has paralyzed the UN-endorsed framework that emerged from the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum. This competition among elites has also drawn attention away from the underlying drivers of violence and insecurity and caused the political, security, economic, and human rights situations to deteriorate.

In this context, the International Peace Institute (IPI), the Stimson Center, and Security Council Report co-hosted a virtual roundtable discussion on June 9, 2022. This roundtable offered a platform for member states, UN stakeholders, civil society representatives, and independent experts to share their assessments of the situation in Libya in a frank and collaborative environment. The discussion was intended to help the Security Council make more informed decisions with respect to the prioritization and sequencing of UNSMIL’s mandate and the mission’s strategic orientation and actions on the ground.

Participants agreed that the UN continues to be an important partner to Libya and that UNSMIL’s mandate is broad and flexible enough to enable continued engagement. Nonetheless, it will be essential for the UN Security Council and UNSMIL to recalibrate international support to the country in the coming months. To this end, participants urged the UN to leverage its role as an impartial actor that can increase cohesion among the various dialogue initiatives, hold stakeholders accountable, and sustain engagement with civil society groups. Participants also identified the need for the UN to develop and implement a more holistic approach to its mandate by focusing more on economic issues and mainstreaming human rights across all processes. Further, participants noted that UNSMIL needs to effectively communicate its strategy and priorities, including its desired “end state.” Finally, participants urged both the Security Council to remain unified and continue prioritizing Libya and member states to ensure that their actions are consistent with their stated positions.

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After being adopted by 120 states, the International Criminal Court (ICC) officially became operational when its founding treaty, the Rome Statute, entered into force on July 1, 2002. Ahead of the Rome Statute’s 20th anniversary, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held an Aria-Formula meeting on June 24, 2022, where states convened to renew their commitment to the statute and consider ways in which the ICC can contribute to accountability and the fight against impunity. Participants were asked to reflect on the relationship between the ICC and the UNSC and how best to support existing Security Council referrals to the ICC. During this crucial meeting, IPI President and CEO Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein presented a briefing to the Security Council.

In his briefing, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein highlighted the importance of demonstrating moral consistency among the UNSC and ICC, saying, “[T]o have any credibility with the millions of people out there, people who need desperately both of these institutions to function, and function properly, the Council and the Court must demonstrate – to the maximum extent possible, consistency. Moral consistency.” In addition, he referenced the historical significance of the Rome Statute and the heavy responsibility the ICC holds to serve justice and protect international peace and security.

UN peacekeeping missions tend to frame conflict-related sexual violence (CRSV) narrowly both in terms of who its victims are and who is best placed to address it. The victims of CRSV are usually assumed to be women and girls, and there is often an expectation that women peacekeepers will be better able to address CRSV than men. These assumptions reflect the frequent conflation of CRSV with “violence against women and girls,” as well as with “sexual and gender-based violence.” They also reflect the broader conflation of “women” and “gender” throughout UN policy documents and training resources for military peacekeepers.

This issue brief explores how the UN system currently understands CRSV and SGBV, how this understanding affects the responsibilities, roles, and perceptions of military peacekeepers, and how UN policies—especially those focused on military women’s participation in peacekeeping—might be more inclusive. It draws on desk research as well as interviews with practitioners, UN personnel, and academic gender experts, as well as insights shared in several closed-door, expert-level workshops.

The paper concludes that the current narrow understanding of CRSV harms victims of sexual violence who are not women and girls, including men and boys as well as sexual and gender minorities. Beyond the victims, narrow understandings of CRSV also harm women peacekeepers. Those pushing to increase the number of uniformed women peacekeepers often emphasize their added value in preventing and responding to CRSV. This assumption can perpetuate the idea that women peacekeepers’ primary added value is their gender identity and saddles them with additional responsibilities, often without adequate training, resources, or authority.

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As clear evidence of war crimes and violations of international law have come to light in the war in Ukraine, the fight against impunity has garnered new attention. This is not just true for Ukraine but for the entire world. The task of reprioritizing the protection of civilians and human rights has become increasingly urgent.

To address this global challenge, the European Parliamentary Research Service in partnership with Fight Impunity and No Peace without Justice held its first International Annual Conference, entitled “The Future of Human Rights and the Fight Against Impunity.” The event took place at the European Parliament in Brussels from June 16-17, 2022, bringing together leading figures from the EU, UN, and NGOs. Throughout both days, participants aimed to shed light on abuses against human rights, foster a better-informed public debate on the subject, and help generate a stronger commitment to prioritize it with international resources.

IPI Vice President and COO Adam Lupel participated as a speaker at the conference’s fourth session on “Threats to Peace and Democracy.” His presentation examined the fragmentation of international order, the crisis of multilateralism, and the overall weakening of commitments to international law. Commenting on the atrocities taking place in Ukraine, Dr. Lupel said: “The principles of non-aggression, inviolability of state borders, and limitations on the use of force…are under threat by the Russian aggression in Ukraine. Without adherence to these basic norms, you lose the very conditions for the possibility for the international rule of law.”

Watch his full remarks here>>

In addition to Dr. Lupel, the panel featured remarks by Nadia Volkova, Founder & Director of the Ukrianian Legal Advisory Group; Ayman Nour, former member of the Egyptian Parliament and Presidential Candidate; and Shada Islam, Visiting Professor, College of Europe. The panel was moderated by MEP Christophe Hansen, Member of the European Parliament for Luxembourg.

Both days of the conference are available to watch at the recordings below.
June 16, 2022 (Day 1)
June 17, 2022 (Day 2)

While only a small percentage of men become involved in violent extremism, the majority of violent extremists are men. Across the ideological spectrum, violent extremist and terrorist groups exploit male sentiments of emasculation and loss of power and appeal to ideas of manhood in their recruitment efforts. Yet policymakers rarely focus on gender to help them understand why some men engage in violence and others do not or what role peaceful notions of masculinity play in preventing radicalization and terrorism. Similarly, male-dominated counterterrorism institutions rarely pose the question of how masculinities shape these institutions and their approaches to counterterrorism and countering violent extremism (CVE).

This report discusses masculinities—the socially constructed ideas of what it means to be a man—as they are constructed and used by violent extremist groups, as they exist in and interact with society, and as they interplay with the state. It draws on examples pertaining to both “Islamist” and extreme right-wing terrorism, considering differences not just between but also within these ideologies.

The report argues that while current efforts to “mainstream gender” in counterterrorism and CVE do not focus on masculinities, a masculinities-focused approach must avoid repeating the shortcomings of existing counterterrorism and CVE approaches aimed at women; be grounded in a robust human rights framework to avoid perpetuating gendered harms; be based on an understanding of the links between extremist violence and gender inequality at the societal level; and recognize and address the harmful role masculinities play within counterterrorism and CVE institutions themselves. It concludes by recommending that state, multilateral, and civil society actors engaged in counterterrorism and CVE:

• Conduct more policy-oriented research and analysis on the link between masculinities and violent extremism;
• Integrate a gender perspective—including a focus on masculinities—across all counterterrorism and CVE policy and programming;
• Monitor and evaluate the gendered impact of counterterrorism and CVE interventions using a robust human rights framework; and
• Address the harmful role masculinities play within counterterrorism and CVE institutions.

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On June 8th, IPI together with the Permanent Mission of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN cohosted a virtual policy forum on “UN, EU, and NATO Approaches to the Protection of Civilians: Policies, Implementation, and Comparative Advantages.” The event provided an opportunity to present and discuss a recent IPI policy paper examining the conceptualization of the protection of civilians (POC) in the UN, the European Union (EU), and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), with recommendations to strengthen POC efforts within and across the three organizations.

Since the early 2000s, the UN, the EU, and NATO have developed their own conceptual and operational approaches to POC. These approaches have evolved in reaction to changing dynamics in armed conflict as well as institutional and membership priorities. These have contributed, for instance, to the UN’s shift from large-scale multidimensional peacekeeping operations toward smaller special political missions and the shift from executive military operations toward training missions within the EU. More recently, the return of large-scale military conduct in Europe following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia and the prospect of increasing use of hybrid warfare raise questions about the capacity for regional and international organizations to effectively protect civilians.

Considering these far-reaching geostrategic shifts, this policy forum will provide the opportunity to discuss how the UN, the EU, and NATO can adapt their POC approaches to a new era of operations and pursue greater inter-organizational cooperation to revitalize POC while retaining their distinct mandates and strategic approaches.

Read the policy paper>>

Opening Remarks:
Ambassador Mark Zellenrath, Deputy Permanent Representative of the Kingdom of the Netherlands to the UN

Speakers:
Mr. Joachim A. Koops, Professor of Security Studies and Scientific Director of the Institute of Security and Global Affairs, Leiden University
Mr. Dirk Druet, Adjunct Professor McGill University and IPI Non-Resident Fellow
Ambassador Silvio Gonzato, Deputy Permanent Representative, EU Delegation to the UN
Ms. Marla B. Keenan, Adjunct Senior Fellow, Stimson Center
Ms. Eva Svoboda, Deputy Director of International Law and Policy, ICRC

Moderator:
Ms. Agathe Sarfati, IPI Senior Policy Analyst

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As part of the “Leading for Peace: Voices from the Field” series, IPI hosted James Swan, current Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia, on June 6, 2022. Swan shared his reflections on the current situation in Somalia following the recent presidential and parliamentary elections and their implications for UN engagement moving forward.

Swan was appointed in May 2019 as the Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM). Prior to this appointment, Swan spent much of his career serving in the US government supporting African countries facing complex political transitions. He served as Ambassador to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from 2013 to 2016, US Special Representative for Somalia from 2011 to 2013, and Ambassador to Djibouti from 2008 to 2011.

Earlier in his career, Swan served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs from 2006 to 2008 and Director of African Analysis in the US Department of State’s Bureau of Intelligence and Research from 2005 to 2006. Prior to this, he held various assignments in the DRC, the Republic of Congo, Somalia, Cameroon, Nicaragua, and Haiti.

Swan holds a B.Sc. degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service, an MA degree from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, and a master’s degree in security studies from the National War College.

Speaker:
H.E. Mr. James Swan, Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Somalia and Head of the UN Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM)

Moderator:
Dr. Adam Lupel, IPI Vice President and COO