Is There a Hierarchy of Human Rights and Human Rights Reporting?
I believe that just as there is a hierarchy of rights, as discussed by human rights scholars, there is also a hierarchy of human rights reporting. War reporting and the...
Dignifying the most vulnerable ‘in’ and ‘through’ Security Council Resolution 2139
Conflict — perhaps like no other happening — illuminates our shared vulnerability to hurt and harm of unimaginable form and depth. The legal protection of rights was born of such...
Lessons from Daimler
On January 14, 2014, as one of the first decisions of the new year, the United States Supreme Court held that Daimler AG (“Daimler”) could not be sued in federal...
Human Rights in Disputed Territories – Affixing Responsibility
“Human rights do not have any borders. It is vital to address underlying human rights issues in disputed territories, regardless of the political recognition or the legal status of a...
Palestinian Refugees in Syria: A Primer For Advocacy
In the face of crisis, it is very easy for those of us in neither government nor humanitarian work to switch off the news. Certainly, this seems to be the...
Investigating crimes against humanity – South Africa’s embrace of universal jurisdiction
“What business is it of the South African authorities when torture on a widespread scale is alleged to have been committed by Zimbabweans against Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe? It is that...
Investigating crimes against humanity – South Africa's embrace of universal jurisdiction
“What business is it of the South African authorities when torture on a widespread scale is alleged to have been committed by Zimbabweans against Zimbabweans in Zimbabwe? It is that...
Geneva II, politicking and possibility for Syria’s invisible 43%
The possibility of peace in Syria may seem more like an international force (pun intended) than a beacon of hope. History though tells us to ‘believe…’.* The form of the...
The Santos-FARC Peace Talks: Human Rights Challenges in Colombia
Colombian political analysts suggest that we do not really know what is happening in the negotiation between the Colombian government of Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of...
Drones, Armed Conflict and Lawful Killing: Is the US at war?
On 12 November, Ben Emmerson QC, UN Special Rapporteur on Counter-Terrorism and Human Rights, addressed the use of drones at a seminar hosted by the Oxford Martin Programme on Human...
UN Resolution on Women’s Involvement in Conflict-Prevention: a Move Towards Participative Equality for Women in Conflict Zones
Earlier this month, the UN Security Council unanimously adopted Resolution 2122, designed to highlight the importance of women’s involvement in conflict prevention, resolution and peace-building. The adoption of this Resolution...
German Federal Constitutional Court Says No Civilian War Damages for NATO Air Strike in Serbia
The German Federal Constitutional Court has rejected constitutional complaints lodged by Serbian citizens in relation to a NATO air strike in the Serbian city of Varvarin on 30 May 1999....