Last month, the Secretary-General’s Envoy on Youth ran a campaign to celebrate International Youth Day (which falls on 12th August every year). This initiative was aimed at showcasing young people’s resilience, resourcefulness and leadership to create a better world for all under the theme of “Celebrating Ways Youth Lead as Agents of Change for the Global Goals”. Ahmed Hussain – a student of our MSc in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP) programme – was one of the young leaders featured in...

A team of UNU-MERIT researchers composed of Maximilian Bruder, Thomas Baar, Prof Shyama Ramani & Cristina Garcia Santos authored a literature review on humanitarian innovation commissioned by the evaluation department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands. The report’s aim is to answer the overarching question: What added value do innovative approaches bring in the pursuit of Dutch policy objectives and what are effective ways for the Netherlands as a donor and diplomatic act...

Diego Salama, United Nations University and Isi Madojemu, Leiden University … For the last 75 years, the United Nations has been the pillar of multilateralism and international cooperation. As a forum, it gathers its member states in an effort to ensure international peace and security, promote economic development and manage crises like COVID-19. As an organisation, its agencies funds and programmes are working tirelessly against the odds to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The UN’s 75th anniversary wa...

Peacebuilding is an arduous challenge — one that demands creative and comprehensive solutions. ‘Solutions’ that are all too often built on sand. ‘Solutions’ that are only really sustainable when built inclusively, from the ground up, with various actors. In April 2019, UNU-MERIT joined three sister institutes to lead a training event aimed at future policymakers, focusing on how best to tackle the challenges of long-term peacebuilding — all in support of SDG16...

Students on our Master of Science in Public Policy and Human Development (MPP) were asked to write a critical opinion about a dispute resolution mechanism — and how it might protect both human rights and development. Below are two essays on transitional justice, covering a range of critical issues from around the world. The authors trace the links between human rights, development and transitional justice, while considering achievements, limitations and the path to sustainable peace. ...

Seven years into the war, Syria has seen over 400,000 casualties and more than 5 million refugees. Those still in the country suffer from chemical attacks and brutalities from all belligerent actors, with no end in sight. The question after so many years of bloodshed: isn’t it time for the UN to step in? The political answer – coming from Moscow – is a resounding ‘No’, which would likely be echoed by the other permanent members of the Security Council (P5), albeit for different reasons. The prac...

Last year was perhaps the most electorally-charged year in West Africa’s nearly six decades of independence. Numerous local, legislative and national elections were held peacefully and conclusively in no fewer than seven states: Benin, Cape Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea and Niger. Breaking with the cycle of violent coups-d’états and state captures, the region has finally embarked on a new path of political aggiornamento based on the principle of free, fair and transparent elections...