Foreign Policy Blogs

Human Rights

The Global Refugee Crisis: Can We Ignore It Much Longer?

The Global Refugee Crisis: Can We Ignore It Much Longer?

The global forced migration crisis is perhaps the most under-reported and disturbing development facing the world today.

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Syrian Conflict Drags On

Syrian Conflict Drags On

Even though world attention has moved on to other crises, the horrific, destructive conflict in Syria drags on.

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Muhammad Depictions on Washington, D.C. Metro?

Muhammad Depictions on Washington, D.C. Metro?

The current debate over political advertising in the Washington, D.C.-area transit system moves the issue from “free speech” to “public safety,” and probably toward the Supreme Court.

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Why We All Innately Know What Justice Should Be

Why We All Innately Know What Justice Should Be

When we see Baltimore, we must always remember that an abuse of basic rights will always be met with protests. That discussion should always take place in the framework of justice for all citizens.

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The Armenians Remember

The Armenians Remember

A new United Nations report documents Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) actions against the Yezidis as genocide, while the Armenians prepare to commemorate the centennial of their own.

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By Any Other Name: The Words We Use

By Any Other Name: The Words We Use

The words we use have an impact on the world around us. For people who have been trafficked and exploited for sexual purposes, such an apparently minor thing as language can tangle their lives and seriously affect their future.

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Candid Discussions: Gissou Nia on Iran’s Human Rights in 2014

Candid Discussions: Gissou Nia on Iran’s Human Rights in 2014

Ms. Nia sat down with Reza Akhlaghi of the Foreign Policy Association to discuss Iran’s human rights record in 2014 and share her perspectives on the challenges the Iranian society faces in greater recognition of human rights.

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Candid Discussions: Jan Egeland on the Plight of Syrian Refugees

Candid Discussions: Jan Egeland on the Plight of Syrian Refugees

Jan Egeland recently sat down with Reza Akhlaghi of the Foreign Policy Association to discuss the plight of Syrian refugees, which has been reflected in a newly released report jointly produced by the Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC) and the International Rescue Committee (IRC).

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The Countdown Has Begun (if it ever stopped)

The Countdown Has Begun (if it ever stopped)

In around 350 days’ time, the year 2015 will begin. But, erm, shouldn’t we rather still be remarking that we’ve just celebrated the start of 2014? The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) have a target achievement date of 2015. Which is next year. Once you consider it’s been over 4,800 days since world leaders adopted the […]

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Dollars for Dishes, Chores for Change

Dollars for Dishes, Chores for Change

Should those (mostly women) who do not participate in the labor market, instead remaining at home to look after the house and raise children, receive compensation for their work? It’s a thorny issue which is as divisive as it is complex. In the final referendum of 2013, Swiss voters were asked to share their opinion […]

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Nelson Mandela Has Died; Long Live Khulu Madiba

Nelson Mandela Has Died; Long Live Khulu Madiba

 

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The Battle Over the Future of the ICC Continues in The Hague

The Battle Over the Future of the ICC Continues in The Hague

The annual Assembly of State Parties of the ICC (ASP) kicked off yesterday to discuss the management of the court and possible changes to the Rome Statute. While several issues are on this year’s agenda, including victim compensation and progress on ratifying amendments to define the crime of aggression, chief among the concerns of the […]

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Invisible or Forgotten? Women & Girls in Emergencies

Invisible or Forgotten? Women & Girls in Emergencies

Aid, donations and relief supplies are making their way to the parts of the Philippines most affected by the recent disaster. A conference held earlier this week in London and attended by high-level representatives of governments, U.N. agencies and NGOs, wasn’t directly focused on responding to the “relief gridlock” and misery riddling the lives of many […]

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Rights, research and responsiveness

Rights, research and responsiveness

You may have heard of the U.N., but have you ever heard of UNRISD? Perhaps not – as a research institute they aren’t going to grab as many headlines as the WHO, UNESCO or the Security Council. Yet the work they do is just as valuable, the latest example being a new program exploring when […]

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(You gotta) fight for your right

(You gotta) fight for your right

Crystal balls, horse-drawn carts, headscarves and tarot cards. If we were playing a word-association game, what group of people would spring to mind? If your brain is leaning toward ‘gypsy’ then you get a point. In Europe, gypsy is a common way of describing Roma and travellers; however, this fairground fairytale image of a freewheeling […]

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