Digital Inclusion in Mediated Peace Processes HOW TECHNOLOGY CAN ENHANCE PARTICIPATION by Andreas T
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Icts for the Prevention of Mass Atrocity Crimes
ICTs for the Prevention of Genocide | ICT4Peace Foundation ICTs for the prevention of mass atrocity crimes What is being done to support the prevention of mass atrocity crimes as well as reconciliation, healing and justice with a particular emphasis on the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs)? Caroline Hargreaves1 and Sanjana Hattotuwa2 As the scope for the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) for peace broadens, the issues ICTs can serve to address will be considerably more complex in nature. Many countries have consistently failed to take early action to protect against, prevent or mitigate violence in cases where large numbers of civilian lives are to be in jeopardy. Examples from the past decade are the cases of Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia and Burundi, and there are also cases from Afghanistan, the DRC, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where towards the end of war, there was a high incidence of collateral damage and many civilian lives lost. Emerging technological innovations such as advanced satellite imagery and computer-aided analysis, advancements in forensic science combined with existing legal frameworks to bring human rights abusers to justice can be leveraged to address these atrocities. This brief report will outline how ICTs can help in preventing and mitigating genocidal violence and mass atrocity crimes, not only in the time leading up to such brutalities, but also in environments that have recently experienced such tragic violence. Though this report will not go into it, we acutely recognise that the use of ICTs to engender genocide is the flip side of an increasing proliferation of new technologies and media. -
Icts for the Prevention of Mass Atrocity Crimes
ICTs for the Prevention of Genocide | ICT4Peace Foundation ICTs for the prevention of mass atrocity crimes What is being done to support the prevention of mass atrocity crimes as well as reconciliation, healing and justice with a particular emphasis on the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs)? Caroline Hargreaves1 and Sanjana Hattotuwa2 As the scope for the use of Information and Communications Technologies (ICTs) for peace broadens, the issues ICTs can serve to address will be considerably more complex in nature. Many countries have consistently failed to take early action to protect against, prevent or mitigate violence in cases where large numbers of civilian lives are to be in jeopardy. Examples from the past decade are the cases of Rwanda, Cambodia, Bosnia and Burundi, and there are also cases from Afghanistan, the DRC, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, where towards the end of war, there was a high incidence of collateral damage and many civilian lives lost. Emerging technological innovations such as advanced satellite imagery and computer-aided analysis, advancements in forensic science combined with existing legal frameworks to bring human rights abusers to justice can be leveraged to address these atrocities. This brief report will outline how ICTs can help in preventing and mitigating genocidal violence and mass atrocity crimes, not only in the time leading up to such brutalities, but also in environments that have recently experienced such tragic violence. Though this report will not go into it, we acutely recognise that the use of ICTs to engender genocide is the flip side of an increasing proliferation of new technologies and media. -
Incremental Progress Or Circular Motion? the Un Group of Governmental Experts Report 2021
INCREMENTAL PROGRESS OR CIRCULAR MOTION? THE UN GROUP OF GOVERNMENTAL EXPERTS REPORT 2021 Paul Meyer GENEVA 2021 ICT4Peace Foundation ICT4Peace Publishing, Geneva. July 2021 Copies available from www.ict4peace.org INCREMENTAL PROGRESS OR CIRCULAR MOTION? INCREMENTAL PROGRESS OR CIRCULAR MOTION? THE UN GROUP OF GOVERNMENTAL EXPERTS REPORT 2021 Paul Meyer INCREMENTAL PROGRESS OR CIRCULAR MOTION? INCREMENTAL PROGRESS OR CIRCULAR MOTION? THE UN GROUP OF GOVERNMENTAL EXPERTS REPORT 2021 Making progress on complex issues in a forum like the United Nations with 193 state parties and a consensus decision-making procedure is always going to be a challenge. It becomes even more difcult when the subject matter, in this case international cyber security policy, is contested by infuential states. It is understandable that when a forum can actually arrive at a consensus outcome, with no state opposing, it is often celebrated as a victory in and of itself. Such a “victory” however can ring hollow, if the progress achieved appears more of a circular than linear nature. This situation is evident in the fnal report of the UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) on “Advancing responsible State behaviour in cyberspace in the context of international security” adopted at the group’s fourth and fnal meeting May 28, 2021.1 The GGE which operated in the 2019-2021 timeframe with 25 nationally appointed “experts” was the most recent in a series of six such GGEs that have been organized by the UN since the turn of the century.2 Two of these (2003-2004 and 2016-2017) failed to achieve consensus and didn’t produce a substantive report. -
Reimagining Peacemaking: Women's Roles in Peace Processes
JUNE 2015 Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace Processes MARIE O’REILLY, ANDREA Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN, AND THANIA PAFFENHOLZ Cover Photo: Signing ceremony of the ABOUT THE AUTHORS March 2014 peace pact between the government of the Philippines and the MARIE O’REILLY is Editor and Research Fellow at the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, Manila, International Peace Institute. March 27, 2014. © Romeo Ranoco/ Reuters/Corbis. Email: [email protected] Disclaimer: The views expressed in this ANDREA Ó SÚILLEABHÁIN is Senior Policy Analyst at the paper represent those of the authors International Peace Institute. and not necessarily those of the International Peace Institute. IPI welcomes consideration of a wide Email: [email protected] range of perspectives in the pursuit of a well-informed debate on critical THANIA PAFFENHOLZ is Senior Researcher at the policies and issues in international Graduate Institute Geneva’s Centre on Conflict, affairs. Development and Peacebuilding. IPI Publications Email: [email protected] Adam Lupel, Director of Research and Publications Marie O’Reilly, Editor and Research Fellow ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Marisa McCrone, Assistant Production This publication was made possible by generous funds Editor from the Permanent Mission of Thailand to the United Suggested Citation: Nations, the government of Norway, and the government Marie O’Reilly, Andrea Ó Súilleabháin, of Finland, for which IPI is very grateful. and Thania Paffenholz, “Reimagining Peacemaking: Women’s Roles in Peace The authors would like to thank Jacalyn Bennett, Steven Processes,” New York: International Dixon, Mary Anne Feeney, Anne Marie Goetz, Miki Jacevic, Peace Institute, June 2015 . Lone Jessen, Adam Lupel, Youssef Mahmoud, Shadia © by International Peace Institute, 2015 Marhaban, Sanam Naraghi-Anderlini, Jacqueline O’Neill, All Rights Reserved Maureen Quinn, Nick Ross, Irene Santiago, Elisabeth Scheper, Anita Schjølset, Laurel Stone, Nahla Valji, and www.ipinst.org Libby Wagner. -
Un Peacekeeping
Dr. Debjani Ghosal, Assistant Professor of Political Science, Surendranath College (STUDY MATERIALS FOR LONG QUESTIONS AND SHORT NOTES) UN PEACEKEEPING United Nations Peacekeeping helps countries torn by conflict create conditions for lasting peace. Peacekeeping has proven to be one of the most effective tools available to the UN to assist host countries navigate the difficult path from conflict to peace. Peacekeeping has unique strengths, including legitimacy, burden sharing, and an ability to deploy and sustain troops and police from around the globe, integrating them with civilian peacekeepers to advance multidimensional mandates. UN peacekeepers provide security and the political and peacebuilding support to help countries make the difficult, early transition from conflict to peace. UN Peacekeeping is guided by three basic principles: Consent of the parties; Impartiality; Non-use of force except in self-defence and defence of the mandate. Peacekeeping is flexible and over the past two decades has been deployed in many configurations. There are currently 13 UN peacekeeping operations deployed on three continents. Today's multidimensional peacekeeping operations are called upon not only to maintain peace and security, but also to facilitate the political process, protect civilians, assist in the disarmament, demobilization and reintegration of former combatants; support the organization of elections, protect and promote human rights and assist in restoring the rule of law. Success is never guaranteed, because UN Peacekeeping almost by definition goes to the most physically and politically difficult environments. However, we have built up a demonstrable record of success over our 60 years of existence, including winning the Nobel Peace Prize. Peacekeeping has always been highly dynamic and has evolved in the face of new challenges. -
Ict4peace: an International Process for Crisis
www.ict4peace.org ICT4Peace: An International Process for Crisis Management ICT4Peace aims to enhance the performance of the international community in crisis management through the application of information Communications Technology (ICT) – technologies that can facilitate effective and sustained communication between peoples, communities and stakeholders involved in crisis management, humanitarian aid and peacebuilding. Crisis management is defined, for the purposes of this process, as civilian and/or military intervention in a crisis that may be a violent or non-violent with the intention of preventing a further escalation of the crisis and facilitating its resolution. This definition covers peace mediation, peace-keeping and peace-building activities of the international community. In bridging the fragmentation between various organisations and activities during different crisis phases, ICT4Peace aims to facilitate a holistic, cohesive and collaborative mechanisms directly in line with Paragraph 36 of the WSIS Tunis Commitment: “36. We value the potential of ICTs to promote peace and to prevent conflict which, inter alia, negatively affects achieving development goals. ICTs can be used for identifying conflict situations through early-warning systems preventing conflicts, promoting their peaceful resolution, supporting humanitarian action, including protection of civilians in armed conflicts, facilitating peacekeeping missions, and assisting post conflict peace-building and reconstruction.” ICT4Peace aims to raise the awareness of and mainstream the Tunis Commitment in all stages of planning and executing crisis management and peace operations. Victims of man-made and natural disasters as well as violent and protracted ethno-political conflict are often severely disadvantaged on account of existing ICT mechanisms that fail to adequately facilitate knowledge and information transfers, augment collaboration and complement multi-stakeholder initiatives. -
Summary of Working Lunch on ICT and Crisis Management
ICT4Peace: “Strategic use of ICT for Crisis Management”1 High-Level Working Lunch, 15th November 2007 The Permanent Representative of Switzerland hosted a High-Level working Lunch, on 15 NovemBer 2007. The event was sponsored By the ICT4Peace Foundation with the support of UN DESA GloBal Alliance for ICT and Development. Summary The question of how best to move forward on pre-existing commitments was at the forefront of discussion at the High-Level Working Lunch on the use of ICT for crisis management today, 15th November 2007. Focusing attention on implementation and action, participants noted the progress made thus far, highlighted at the recent OCHA Seminar in Geneva, and stressed the need to build on it. They emphasized the need to develop a set of common standards agreed by different agencies and organisations, both within and beyond the UN, to aid knowledge sharing and communication, and all expressed willingness to work together in order to bring about the changes needed. One significant obstacle was thought to be data security and the unwillingness to share information. The importance of creating a multi-stakeholder collaboration – encompassing both the private sector and those who collate and utilise ICT outputs in the field – was emphasised. It was emphasized that ICT can be used as a tool for progress in areas such as crisis management, humanitarian aid, development, peace building, peacekeeping and UN reform. Participants representing a range of national governments, NGOs and international organisations pledged their support to moving forward work in this field, especially via the initiative taken by the ICT4Peace Foundation, functioning as a Community of Expertise of the Global Alliance for ICT and Development. -
United Nations Peacekeeping
UNITED NATIONS PEACEKEEPING NFHS POTENTIAL DEBATE TOPIC 2022-2023 July 1, 2021 Submitted by: Ryan Nierman Wylie E. Groves High School Beverly Hills, Michigan Ruth Kay Detroit Country Day School Beverly Hills, Michigan Background The United Nations (UN) was founded as an international organization in 1945. It is made up of 193 Member States. Over a 72-year period, more than 1 million individuals from 125 countries have served in 71 peacekeeping missions. As of 2021 there are approximately 90,000 peacekeepers in 12 operations around the world (UN 2021). The number one goal of UN Peacekeeping is to protect civilians. In addition to their main goal, the UN identifies a total of six objectives of their Peacekeeping operations: Protecting civilians, Preventing conflicts, Building Rule of Law and security institutions, Promoting human rights, Empowering women, and Delivery of field support. Of late, the UN has made a commitment to include more women in peacekeeping roles. Ultimately, the deployment of women as peacekeepers is up to the member states. But the UN has established a global effort to increase the role of women. According to the UN, “The 2028 target for women serving in military contingents is 15%, and 25% for military observers and staff officers. The 2028 target for women serving in formed police units is 20%, and 30% for individual police officers.” Main Organs The main organs of the United Nations (UN) are the General Assembly, Security Council, Economic and Social Council, Trusteeship Council, International Court of Justice, and the Secretariat. The General Assembly is the main organ of the United Nations. -
Getting Down to Business
GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS: REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PEACE IN CYBER SPACE Daniel Stauffacher, Riccardo Sibilia & Barbara Weekes GENEVA 2011 ICT4Peace Foundation ICT4Peace Publishing, Geneva. December 2011. Copies available from www.ict4peace.org REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PEACE IN CYBER-SPACE GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS: REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PEACE IN CYBER-SPACE Daniel Stauffacher Chairman, ICT4Peace Foundation & Former Ambassador of Switzerland Riccardo Sibilia Head of Cyber Threat Analysis, Swiss Armed Forces, Switzerland Barbara Weekes CEO, Geneva Security Forum REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PEACE IN CYBER-SPACE GETTING DOWN TO BUSINESS: REALISTIC GOALS FOR THE PROMOTION OF PEACE IN CYBER SPACE A CODE OF CONDUCT FOR CYBER-CONFLICTS1 Introduction In addition to environmental concerns, financial instability, conflict, poverty and natural disasters, nations around the world are currently facing another challenge that is here to stay: an invasive, multi pronged and multi layered threat, a modern day arms race without visible weapons or attributable actors, characterized by an escalating number of attacks both on and off the radar. The stability of our networked global system and the proper functioning of our countries, cities and daily activities, rely on the Internet. Critical infrastructure including transport, transport security, nuclear power plants, electricity, communication networks, oil pipelines, and financial institutions has become a clear target for cyber attacks, with potentially devastating consequences for humankind. The international community is not doing enough to prevent an on going escalation of cyber conflict. Given its critical role, and in the interest of providing a safe and secure environment, the Internet should be treated as a global common good. -
Cyber Stability 2015 “Regime Coherence”
Cyber Stability 2015 “Regime Coherence” 9 July 2015 Room IX, Palais des Nations, United Nations Office at Geneva Organized by the United Nations Institute for Disarmament Research (UNIDIR) with support from the Governments of Australia, the Netherlands and Switzerland Biographies Souhila AMAZOUZ Ms. Souhila Amazouz is a Senior Radio Communication Officer; she works for the Information Society division within the Department Infrastructure and Energy where she is asked to contribute to the elaboration and formulation of policies and regulations, master plans for the development of programs and projects relating to Radio communications and Information Communication Technologies (ICTs). With the African Union Commission Miss Amazouz is involved in projects related to the development of the Information Society and works closely with the African Union Member States to provide guidance on cybercrime and cybersecurity policies and assistance for some countries to develop the key components of a national cyber security framework. Adam BLACKWELL In 1985 Adam Blackwell joined Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada, beginning his diplomatic experience in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria and Kenya. He served in a variety of assignments, at headquarters and in the field, including as Consul-General in Mexico and at the Canadian Mission to the United Nations in New York. In 2000 he completed the Executive Development Program at Queen’s University in Kingston, Canada. He then continued his diplomatic career in the region, serving as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the Dominican Republic from 2002-05 and Director-General of Strategy and Services in the Bilateral Relations Branch of Foreign Affairs and International Trade from 2005-06. -
GAO-19-224, UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS: State Should Take Additional Steps to Work with the UN to Improve Effectiveness and Perf
United States Government Accountability Office Report to the Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate March 2019 UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS State Should Take Additional Steps to Work with the UN to Improve Effectiveness and Performance Information GAO-19-224 March 2019 UN PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS State Should Take Additional Steps to Work with the UN to Improve Effectiveness and Performance Information Highlights of GAO-19-224, a report to the Subcommittee on Multilateral International Development, Multilateral Institutions, and International Economic, Energy, and Environmental Policy, Committee on Foreign Relations, U.S. Senate Why GAO Did This Study What GAO Found As of December 2018, the UN had 14 The United Nations (UN) Security Council establishes and renews peacekeeping ongoing peacekeeping operations with operations by issuing resolutions, generally referred to as mandates, which can approximately 103,000 personnel. The include a range of tasks, such as monitoring ceasefires and protecting civilians. United States is the single largest Generally once or twice a year, the Security Council renews an operation’s financial contributor to these operations, mandate and makes adjustments as needed. assessed by the UN to contribute an estimated $1.7 billion in fiscal year UN Peacekeepers Patrolling in the Democratic Republic of the Congo 2018, according to State. It is also a member of the Security -
Un Oewg) 2019-2021
ICT4PEACE AND THE UNITED NATIONS OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL CYBERSECURITY (UN OEWG) 2019-2021 By Paul Meyer (Author) and Daniel Stauffacher (Editor) GENEVA 2021 ICT4Peace Foundation ICT4Peace Publishing, Geneva. April 2021 Copies available from www.ict4peace.org ICT4PEACE & THE UN OEWG ON INTERNATIONAL CYBERSECURITY 2019-2021 ICT4PEACE AND THE UNITED NATIONS OPEN-ENDED WORKING GROUP ON INTERNATIONAL CYBERSECURITY (UN OEWG) 2019-2021 By Paul Meyer (Author) and Daniel Stauffacher (Editor) ICT4PEACE & THE UN OEWG ON INTERNATIONAL CYBERSECURITY 2019-2021 FOREWORD Geneva, April 5, 2021 It’s a pleasure for ICT4Peace to publish this compilation of its inputs to and comments on the negotiations of the United Nations open-ended working group on developments in the field of information and telecommunications in the context of international security (UN OEWG) (2019 – 2021). With a view to promoting a peaceful cyberspace, ICT4Peace has been calling for and supporting global negotiations at the United Nations since 2007. In light of the rapidly emerging threats also from State Actors, ICT4Peace in 2011 issued a Call for a Code of Conduct for Cyber Conflicts1. In the same spirit it subsequently focused its work on supporting the development and implementation of Norms of Responsible State Behavior2, Confidence Building Measures (CBMs)3 and Capacity Building in the context of the UN as well as Regional Organizations such as the OSCE, OECD, OAS, ASEAN and the AU. ICT4Peace is particularly proud to have cooperated with the UN Office for Disarmament Affairs to prepare and publish a first ever Commentary on the Voluntary4, Non-Binding Norms for Responsible State Behaviour in the Use of Information and Communication Technology proposed by the 2015 UN Group of Governmental Experts (GGE)5 and adopted by the UN General Assembly by 1 Getting down to business – Realistic Goals for the Promotion of Peace in Cyberspace.