United Nations

Human and Non-Human Rights — Convergence or Conflict?0
- Analysis
- December 10, 2018
Today is the 70^th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR). Most reflections on this milestone are likely to sound a sombre note, dwelling on the many challenges faced by those championing human rights in an increasingly …
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Why Canada Should Care — a lot — about that UN Security Council seat 0
- Analysis
- December 3, 2018
Canada will stand for election to the United Nations Security Council in June 2020. Our competitors are Norway and Ireland. Of the three countries, two will win seats on the council and begin their two-year terms in January 2021.

There …
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Decisive Action is Overdue to Protect the Rohingyas 0
- Analysis
- September 15, 2018
By John Packer

Director of the Human Rights Research and Education Centre at the University of Ottawa and Neuberger-Jesin Professor of International Conflict Resolution

Finally, the United Nations Independent International Fact-Finding Mission on Myanmar has stated the obvious: the Rohingya …
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Making the United Nations Fit for Purpose in an Illiberal Era 0
- Analysis
- July 15, 2018
Louise Riis Andersen, Senior Researcher, Danish Institute for International Studies

The return of geopolitics and the rise of populism have reinforced crude and divisive distinctions between “us” and “them.” As a result, the notions of collective security and the …
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How History Helps Us Uncover the Real Successes of Middle Power Internationalism 0
- Analysis
- July 15, 2018
Heidi Tworek, Assistant Professor in International History, University of British Columbia, and Visiting Fellow, Center for History and Economics, Harvard University

Over 15 years ago, Barry Buzan and Richard Little lamented that international relations had long sustained “a dominant …
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Women Leaders Needed in the WTO 0
- Analysis
- June 14, 2018
The Declaration on Trade and Women’s Economic Empowerment is a stepping stone on the road to advancing gender equality and the economic empowerment of women in the World Trade Organization (WTO). The best way to achieve gender equality in an …
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Another One Bites the Dust: What Future for the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights?0
- Analysis
- February 8, 2018
The announcement in December 2017 by Prince Zeid Ra’ad al-Hussein of Jordan that he would not seek a second term as UN High Commissioner for Human Rights — leaving the post in the middle of 2018 — came as a …
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Liberals’ Vague “Values” Talk Undermines Rights Promotion 0
- Analysis
- February 2, 2018
Canadian governments since the mid-1970s have claimed that promoting human rights around the world is a foreign policy priority. There are solid moral, legal, and practical grounds for doing so. Yet increasingly, the Liberal government, like its Tory predecessor, justifies …
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A Canadian G7 Initiative: New Faces for a More Inclusive G20 0
- Analysis
- January 25, 2018
These are troubled days for our world. But Canada has a once-in-seven-years privilege to host the next G7 Summit, June 8–9 at Charlevoix, Quebec. The agenda for this important meeting is Canada’s to shape. It already looks likely to cover …
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Next Steps: How to Make It All Happen 0
- Analysis
- January 25, 2018
In part 1 of this blog, “A Canadian G7 Initiative: New Faces for a More Inclusive G20,” I proposed the enhancement of the G20 by adding two new members — representing LDCs (least developed countries) and fragile states …
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Canada’s Foreign Policy “One-Sided,” Not the UN Resolution We Refused to Support 0
- Analysis
- December 22, 2017
Canada refused to support the UN General Assembly resolution this week that rebuked the Trump administration’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. In doing so, the Trudeau government undermined its claim to be cutting a new foreign policy …
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Mapping Out a North Korean Peace Process 0
- Analysis
- December 11, 2017
By John Gruetzner

There are ultimately four critical components to a peace process:

The first component is to submit and then finalize a draft of a document acceptable to the original signatories that converts the armistice agreement signed on 27 …
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