Safeguarding Democracy in West Africa

Atrocity crimes — war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and the crime of aggression — threaten national and global security by violating our most fundamental international norms and the rights of civilian populations. Responding to such crimes is therefore a global responsibility, one frequently led by the International Criminal Court (ICC). On April 26, USIP hosted a conversation with ICC Prosecutor Khan and Ambassador David J. Scheffer to discuss the ICC’s efforts to secure justice for victims of mass atrocities, the challenges faced by the ICC in responding to ongoing atrocities in Ukraine and elsewhere, and Prosecutor Khan’s priorities for his tenure in the office. Speakers Lise Grande, moderator President and CEO, U.S. Institute of Peace  Karim A. A. Khan, QC Prosecutor, International Criminal Court Ambassador David SchefferSenior Fellow, Council on Foreign Relations   For more information about this event, please visit: https://www.usip.org/events/pursuing-justice-mass-atrocities-conversation-icc-prosecutor-karim-khan   ...

Women’s participation in drafting constitutions leads to more equitable legal frameworks and socially inclusive reforms, laying the groundwork for sustainable peace. Yet new research from Inclusive Security reveals that while 75 conflict-affected countries oversaw significant reform processes between 1995-2015, only one in five constitutional drafters in these environments have been women. While there have been slow increases in the number of women involved in constitution-making processes since the end of the Cold War, women still must overcome discrimination and perceived illegitimacy once they have a seat at the negotiating table. Drawing on in-depth case studies, research, and personal experiences, panelists will offer insights on how early action and alliance building have proven useful strategies for overcoming such obstacles, and recommendations for supporting and empowering women in constitution building in the future. Speakers:Rosarie TucciDirector of Inclusive Societies, U.S Institute of Peace Palwasha KakarSenior Program Officer, Religion and Inclusive Societies, U.S Institute of Peace Marie O’ReillyDirector of Research & Analysis, Inclusive Security Amira YahyaouiFounder, Al Bawsala Jason GluckPolicy Specialist, Political Dialogues and Constitutional Processes, United Nations Development Program ...

With the prospects of U.S.-North Korea working-level negotiations rekindled after President Trump’s recent surprise meeting with Kim Jong Un at the Korean Demilitarized Zone, sanctions relief remains one of the key sticking points. Pyongyang is demanding relief from economic and financial sanctions in exchange for steps toward denuclearization, raising questions for U.S. policymakers about whether and how to roll back the complex regime of U.S. and multilateral sanctions. USIP hosted this discussion that examined the scope and purposes of the North Korea sanctions regime, considered the constraints and opportunities for providing partial and complete sanctions relief, and provided a comparative look at other such regimes.   Speakers: Stephanie Kleine-Ahlbrandt Member, U.N. Panel of Experts (Resolution 1874) Elizabeth Rosenberg Senior Fellow, Center for a New American Security Joshua Stanton Blogger, One Free Korea Daniel Wertz Program Manager, National Committee on North Korea Frank Aum, moderator Senior Expert, U.S. Institute of Peace ...