Mainstreaming the Responsibility to Protect in the United Nations System: Dilemmas, Challenges and Opportunities

2013 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 154-191 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alex J. Bellamy
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Final Section ◽  
Responsibility To Protect ◽  
Basic Principles ◽  
Peacekeeping Operations ◽  
Political Work ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
United Nations System ◽  
Nations System ◽  
Different Parts

This article examines the challenges and opportunities for mainstreaming RtoP within the UN system and proposes a way forward. First, it examines what is meant by ‘mainstreaming’ in the UN context and progress made thus far. Second, it reviews some of the principal dilemmas that have arisen in different parts of the UN system, notably in relation to the system’s political work, humanitarian activities, peacekeeping operations, human rights promotion and protection, and capacity-building. Third, it considers the extent to which the Secretary-General’s vision accommodates these concerns. Finding that, to a great extent, it does, the final section offers some recommendations for moving forward which harnesses the basic principles for mainstreaming outlined by the Secretary-General and develops into four areas: incorporating an ‘atrocity prevention lens’, information sharing, capacity building and lessons learning.

The R2P, Protection of Civilians, and UN Peacekeeping Operations

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul D. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Final Section ◽  
Responsibility To Protect ◽  
Specific Reference ◽  
Peacekeeping Operations ◽  
Un Peacekeeping ◽  
Coupling Strategy ◽  
Key Policy ◽  
Policy Challenge ◽  
Similarities And Differences ◽  
The Relationship

This chapter analyses the relationship between the two related concepts of the responsibility to protect (R2P) and the protection of civilians (POC) with particular emphasis on how their relationship has played out in the context of United Nations peacekeeping operations. It begins by providing an overview of the main similarities and differences between R2P and POC before moving on to examine various attempts to link the two concepts with specific reference to their application within UN peacekeeping operations. The final section analyses some of the main criticisms levelled against their linkage. The chapter concludes that a de-coupling strategy is unlikely to succeed, in part because POC can never be made completely apolitical and uncontroversial. As UN peacekeepers are called upon to operationalize both the R2P and POC agendas, a key policy challenge will be ensuring that the relationship between the two does not become counter-productive.

The Suez Canal Dispute: A Case Study in Peaceful Settlement

1967 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 79-101 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert O. Matthews
Keyword(s):  
Extended Period ◽  
Collective Responsibility ◽  
Peacekeeping Operations ◽  
The Past ◽  
Self Defense ◽  
Peaceful Settlement ◽  
United Nations System ◽  
Settlement Of Disputes ◽  
Nations System

If the United Nations system is to outlaw the unilateral use of force, except in cases of self-defense, it is clear that some provision must be made for the peaceful settlement of disputes and for peaceful change. In the past, peacekeeping operations have often succeeded in restoring a fragile peace. Yet collective actionall too frequently has been limited to a restoration of the status quo ante. Indeed, states have usuallyfailed to accept any collective responsibility to deal with the grievances that initially led to the outbreak of hostilities. If peace is to be maintained over any extended period of time, peacekeeping operations must not, asAmbassador Arthur J. Goldberg recently warned, “be a sofa to provide a comfortable respite from efforts atpeaceful settlement” but instead should “be a springboard for accelerated efforts to eliminate the root causes of conflict.”

Germany and Peaceful Change

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Klaus Brummer
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Policy ◽  
Global Change ◽  
Eastern Bloc ◽  
Integration Process ◽  
Interstate Relations ◽  
Western Germany ◽  
Fundamental Transformation ◽  
Foreign Policy Change ◽  
United Nations System ◽  
Nations System

From the outset, (Western) Germany has pursued a multipronged foreign policy of peaceful change. This has encompassed peaceful foreign policy change based on processes of accommodation and reconciliation with other countries (e.g., France, Israel, and countries in the Eastern bloc), peaceful regional change through coleadership of the European integration process, and peaceful global change based on its engagement within the United Nations system. In several instances, this policy of peaceful change has gone beyond the mere conduct of interstate relations without resorting to violence toward a more fundamental transformation of state-to-state interaction in which nonviolent cooperation has become the norm and the recourse to war virtually unthinkable.

Administrative convergence in the United Nations system? Patterns of administrative reform in four United Nations organizations over time

2021 ◽  
pp. 002085232110187
Author(s):  
Stephan Grohs ◽  
Daniel Rasch
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
Public Management ◽  
New Public Management ◽  
Decisive Role ◽  
Food And Agriculture ◽  
New Public ◽  
The United Nations ◽  
United Nations System ◽  
Nations System ◽  
Over Time

This article asks how and why United Nations organizations reform their administrative structure and processes over time. It explores whether we can observe a convergence towards a coherent administrative model in the United Nations system. Like in most nation states, reform discussions according to models like New Public Management or post-New Public Management have permeated international public administrations. Against this background, the question of administrative convergence discussed for national administrative systems also arises for United Nations international public administrations. On the one hand, similar challenges, common reform ‘fashions’ and an increasing exchange within the United Nations system make convergence likely. Yet, on the other hand, distinct tasks, administrative styles and path dependencies might support divergent reform trajectories. This question of convergence is addressed by measuring the frequency, direction and rationales for reforms, using a sample of four international public administrations from the United Nations’ specialized agencies (the Food and Agriculture Organization, International Labour Organization, International Monetary Fund and World Bank). We find that convergence depends on the area of reform (human resources or organizational matters are more harmonized than others) and time (some international public administrations are faster or earlier than others). Points for practitioners This article identifies different drivers of reforms, as well as several supporting conditions, and obstacles to reform in international public administration, which is useful for understanding and planning change management. It highlights the issues policymakers should consider when implementing reform measures, especially institutional context, administrative styles and relevant actor constellations. Among other things, it shows that: the establishment of coordination bodies clearly leads to more homogeneous administrative practices; executive heads have a decisive role in the shaping of administrative reforms and have a specific interest to foster coordination and control in public organizations; and autonomy enables organizations to pursue reform policies apt to their individual challenges.

scholarly journals The Increasing Representativeness of International Organizations’ Secretariats: Evidence from the United Nations System, 1997–2015

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michal Parizek ◽  
Matthew D Stephen
Keyword(s):  
United Nations ◽  
International Organizations ◽  
Panel Regression ◽  
Institutional Control ◽  
Normative Pressure ◽  
Shared Interest ◽  
Staffing Patterns ◽  
United Nations System ◽  
Nations System ◽  
Global Population

Abstract Although international organizations (IOs) and their secretariats play important roles in international politics, we know surprisingly little about their staffing composition and the factors that shape it. What accounts for the national composition of the secretariats of IOs? We theorize that the national composition of international secretariats is shaped by three factors: the desire by powerful states for institutional control, a commonly shared interest in a secretariat's functional effectiveness, and, increasingly, a need for secretariats to be seen as legitimate by being representative of the global population. Building on recent constructivist literature, we argue that IOs face increasing normative pressure to be representative in their staffing patterns. Using panel regression, we assess our argument with a new dataset covering states’ representation in the secretariats of thirty-five United Nations system bodies from 1997 to 2015. The results indicate that while functional effectiveness plays a significant and stable role, international secretariats have become increasingly representative of the global population. Moreover, this has come primarily at the expense of the over-representation of powerful states. This shift from power to representation is particularly strong in large IOs with high political and societal visibility. When it comes to IO secretariats, representativeness (increasingly) matters.

scholarly journals Building Educational Research Capacity: Challenges and Opportunities From the Perspectives of Faculty Members at a National University in Oman

SAGE Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 215824402110326
Author(s):  
Waheed Hammad ◽  
Wajeha Al-Ani
Keyword(s):  
Capacity Building ◽  
Educational Research ◽  
Research Training ◽  
Research Capacity ◽  
Faculty Members ◽  
Supportive Environment ◽  
Qualitative Research Design ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
National University ◽  
Group Interviews

The purpose of this article is to explore the perceptions of faculty members regarding research capacity building in the field of Education. It particularly seeks to identify the challenges and opportunities associated with this practice from the perspectives of these members. The study adopted a qualitative research design, using focus group interviews to collect data from a sample of faculty members in the College of Education at a national university in Oman. The results revealed the existence of some challenges that hampered educational research, including time constraints, the lack of a collaborative research culture, the lack of research training, and the absence of a clear research agenda. The analysis also identified a number of capacity building opportunities such as a research-supportive environment, the availability of research funding, and the role of research groups. The study concludes with some recommendations to improve educational research capacity both in Oman and in the Arab region in general.

scholarly journals Crowdfunding: Motives, Definitions, Typology and Ethical Challenges

2017 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mokter Hossain ◽  
Gospel Onyema Oparaocha
Keyword(s):  
Final Section ◽  
Theoretical Foundation ◽  
Ethical Issues ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Ethical Challenges ◽  
Alternative Source ◽  
Significant Interest ◽  
Challenges And Opportunities ◽  
Conceptual Paper

AbstractCrowdfunding is an emerging phenomenon that has attracted significant interest from scholars and practitioners alike, mainly due to its appeal as an alternative source of funding. As crowdfunding has grown exponentially, so have the associated challenges and opportunities. In this conceptual paper, we define crowdfunding; discuss its characteristics, related terminologies, key elements and ethical issues. We also propose a typology for crowdfunding and indicate various issues associated with it. The final section includes the implications of this study and suggestions for future research. This paper aims to inspire a scholarly debate and further develop the theoretical foundation of the crowdfunding literature. This may also prompt practitioners to take note of the emerging concerns as the crowdfunding phenomenon is transforming from a marginal to a mainstream discipline.

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