Article 2(4) of the UN Charter: Alive and Well
Some have argued that the continued use of force in international relations demonstrates that the prohibition of the use of force in Article 2(4) of the UN Charter is meaningless and outdated. Kanade counters this position with a discourse on the purpose and interpretation of international law, and argues that the UN Charter continues to offer a meaninful and effctive legal framework for confronting threats to global peace and security.
Not expecting Serious Trouble
The UN, through its mission in the DRC, has embarked in its most ambitious electoral-support endeavor yet. Rafael Velasquez our South Africa correspondent had the opportunity to meet up with General Mujahid Alam, Head of the Pretoria Liaison Office of the United Nations Organization Mission in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUC), to discuss the ongoing preparations for the upcoming elections in an exclusive interview.
Post-Conflict Reconstruction: Rebuilding Society
Samantha Garcia discusses social and institutional mechanisms for post-conflict reconstruction, with an emphasis on the need for cooperation and coordination between UN programmes, and between the UN and regional organizations. In this way, the specificities of each post-conflict situation, and the wide range of challenges faced by conflict-affected communities and individuals can be most appropriately addressed.
Key Words: El Salavador, Peacekeeping, Post-Conflict Reconstruction.
Security and Economic Development: Masculinized Goals for Post-Conflict Reconstruction
The end of an armed conflict is the starting moment of a new period that creates space for transforming institutions, structures and relationships within society. In such historical moments the actors of peace negotiations and peace building processes have the window of chance and responsibility to create a new society based on gender equality. However, in what Cynthia Enloe calls“the morning after”, when the guns are silent, the persistent militarization and promotion of masculinity continue in postwar societies, in both the public and private sphere. This paper will attempt to track such political processes and identify the tools and factors contributing to militarization and masculinization in post conflict societies. Moreover, this paper will highlight reasons for failing to consolidate women’s gains deriving from their war-time experience and to promote gender equality in peace building processes.
Time to Call a Spade a Spade
Another World Summit takes place in New York. Kofi Annan has done his best, but is talk cheap?
Trafficking of Women
The international crime of trafficking in women for forced prostitution in BiH has been recognized as such since 1995. However, the first night-clubs with women “dancers” from Eastern Europe have been opened in the early 1990s. At that time, it was not clear whether women were trafficked or had arrived on their own to voluntarily work in prostitution. The trade in so called “sex slaves” was relatively unknown in the region until the mid-1990s. The sex industry was fuelled by the arrival of tens of thousands predominantly male U.N. personnel, after the Peace Agreement was signed in 1995.
BiH has become one of the main destination countries for women mainly from Moldova, Ukraine and Romania. According to information provided by non-govermental organizations (hereinafter NGOs) which specificaly deal with the problem of trafficking in BiH, there are more than 900 brothels spread throughout the country.
Olivera Simic discusses the problems of bringing this to an end.
Crying out loud for the children
Catherine Onekalit asks the question can von-violent methods help to end the war that has lasted seventeen years in northern Uganda destroying the lives of thousands of children and young people. She notes that progress has been slow but that is no excuse for stopping. Quite the opposite, and one way of moving forward is to shout as loudly as possible. The Peace and Conflict Monitor is helping. Join in the cacophony.
Nukes Worldwide: Disarmament, Iran, and New Military Doctrines
Jayantha Dhanapala, former Under Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs of the United Nations, says that there is a need for political solutions to resolve the nuclear proliferation in recent times.
Dhanapala is now the Secretary General of the Secretariat for Coordination of the Peace Process in Sri Lanka. He has also served as a Commissioner in UNSCOM and the Head of the Special Group visiting the Presidential Sites in Iraq in addition to his duties as Under-Secretary General for Disarmament Affairs.
In 2006 he will likely be Asia’s candidate for the post of the United Nations Secretary General.
Dhanapala feels passionately about disarmament. He spoke to Ravi R. Prasad at his office in Colombo.
Secrecy in the Security Council
Secrecy in the Security Council Author: Hamish Low Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 06/03/2008 Category: Essay II “Secrecy is a drug to which its practitioners become confirmed addicts.”[1] – William R. Frye Following World War II, representatives from 50 nations met in San Francisco to found the United Nations. One of the […]
The Un-Funniest Cartoons Ever
The Un-Funniest Cartoons Ever Author: Peter Krupa Originally Published at Peace and Conflict Monitor on: 02/15/2006 Category: Editorial Much of the Muslim world has been up in arms recently over, of all things, Denmark. Back in September, Jyllands-Posten, a newspaper that few people outside Scandinavia had previously ever heard of, printed a handful of cartoons […]