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.
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 […]
Managing Wetland Ecosystems to Guarantee Water Security in Cameroon
Wetlands are an often misunderstood and underappreciated part of the ecological life support system upon which our economies and societies depend. In this article, Tazoacha Francis discusses the importance of managing Camaroon’s wetland resources wisely through raising public awareness and addressing issues of conflict and poverty.
Water Security: War or Peace?
Keywords: water security, water war, water peace, virtual water
The Rise of Private Military Companies and the Legal Vacuum of Regulation
This paper discusses the rise of the private military industry as a challenge to contemporary international law. In recent times, the privatization of activities preserved by governments have been proposed and implemented;, such as communication facilities, garbage collection, electricity supply, immigration services and much more. Military operations have not been left out. The increasing privatization of military activities is proving to be a major challenge to international law. The literature on Private Military Companies (PMCs) is mind-boggling, but neither extensive nor exhaustive. As a new phenomenon, it receives situational attention. For example, when the operations of Executive Outcomes and Sandline International were unearthed by the press in the 90s,’ numerous scholarly material was written, but with distinct themes like the efficiency of the corporations and the human rights violations carried out, as well as the legal vacuum created by ex-professional soldiers banding up to create and legally incorporate a mercenary outfit. The issue of PMCs being present in weak states and ravaged war-torn zones is an understatement, yet these corporations are registered mostly in the U.S., U.K. and South Africa. The articles on this issue are usually highly polarized; opponents verses proponents of these corporations, as the activities of these outfits do not fit within any conventional classification as actors of war in the law of war.
This paper describes the history and definition of PMCs and analyses how the operations of these corporations affect human rights, sovereignty and states´ monopoly of violence. The paper also focuses on the legality of PMCs and proceeds to discuss how to regulate the industry. The paper concludes in favor of tougher regulatory controls through new international legal framework and national legislation to deal with mercenaries as decisively as with other non-state actors who wield violence.
The UN Peacebuilding Commission: the baby takes its first steps
Jacob Enoh-Eben examines the creation of the UN Peacebuilding Commission, its composition, mandate, purpose, modus operandi, and its initial activities.
The Way Forward: justice, solidarity and cooperation
The Rector of the University for Peace lays out his views on the problems and possibilities for Peace, and ways of ending violent conflict. These views were delivered before an audience of some 500 people gathered in Nuremberg, Germany, on 1st May 2003. The governing authorities and the people of the historic City of Nuremberg are committed to spreading peace worldwide, and are responsible for a growing number of significant initiatives.
What if there was no UN?
Varghese Theckanath traces the history of the United Nations and briefly reviews its successes. Theckanath argues that these successes outweigh the failures and, ultimately, that the great potential of the UN to promote human development and international understanding makes it an invaluable tool in the effort to build a more peaceful and secure world for everyone.
Why the International Criminal Court is Different.
The author discusses how the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court differ from the jurisdictions of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, and concludes that power matters.