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Scoop
36 minutes ago
- Politics
- Scoop
Responsibility To Protect: An Unfulfilled Promise, A Ray Of Hope
25 June 2025 Addressing the General Assembly, António Guterres said that the world is witnessing more armed conflicts than at any time since the end of the Second World War. ' Too often, early warnings go unheeded, and alleged evidence of crimes committed by States and non-State actors are met with denial, indifference, or repression, ' he told Member States on Wednesday. 'Responses are often too little, too late, inconsistent, or undermined by double standards. Civilians are paying the highest price.' The pledge The Secretary-General's address marked two decades since the 2005 World Summit, where global leaders made an unprecedented commitment to protect populations from the atrocity crimes of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing, and crimes against humanity. Known as the Responsibility to Protect, or R2P, the pledge affirmed that sovereignty carries not just rights, but responsibilities – foremost among them, the duty of every State to safeguard its own people. When national authorities manifestly fail to do so, the international community has a duty to act – collectively, timely and decisively – in accordance with the UN Charter. An unfulfilled promise 'Two decades on, the Responsibility to Protect remains both an urgent necessity, a moral imperative and an unfulfilled promise, ' he said. He cited worsening identity-based violence, deepening impunity, and the weaponization of new technologies as compounding threats to populations around the world. 'No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes,' Mr. Guterres continued. A ray of hope The Secretary-General also presented his latest report on the Responsibility to Protect, reflecting on two decades of progress and persistent challenges. It draws on a global survey showing that the principle still enjoys broad support – not only among Member States, but also among communities affected by violence. ' Communities see it [R2P] as a ray of hope, ' he said, ' but they also call for effective implementation at all levels. ' Mr. Guterres emphasised that prevention must begin at home: with inclusive leadership, the protection of human rights and the rule of law. And it must be supported worldwide through multilateral cooperation and principled diplomacy. ' No society is immune from the risk of atrocity crimes, ' he said. '[Prevention] must be supported globally – through multilateral cooperation, principled diplomacy, and early and decisive action to effectively protect populations.' Flashback: 2005 World Summit and the birth of R2P The Responsibility to Protect was adopted by consensus at the 2005 World Summit – at the time, the largest-ever gathering of heads of state and government. The Summit also established the Peacebuilding Commission to support post-conflict recovery and the Human Rights Council to uphold human rights. The R2P principle is built on three pillars: the State's responsibility to protect its population; the international community's role in assisting States in this effort; and the duty to take collective action when States manifestly fail to protect their people. Since its adoption, R2P has helped shape international responses to atrocity crimes, guided UN operations, and informed preventive efforts through national, regional, and multilateral mechanisms. Keep the promise Yet the gap between principle and practice remains a central concern – one the Secretary-General is urging the international community to close. ' Let us keep the promise, ' Mr. Guterres said. ' Let us move forward with resolve, unity, and the courage to act. '
Arab News
18 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
UN commission says Syria must end violence against Alawites and protect places of worship
BEIRUT: The head of a UN investigative commission on Friday called commitments made by the new authorities in Syria to protect the rights of minorities 'encouraging' but said attacks have continued on members of the Alawite sect in the months since a major outbreak of sectarian violence on Syria's coast. Paulo Pinheiro, the head of the UN Commission of Inquiry on Syria, told a meeting of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva that the current Syrian government — led by Islamist former insurgents who ousted former Syrian President Bashar Assad — had given his team 'unfettered access' to the coast and to witnesses of the violence and victims' families. 'Disturbingly, reports continue to circulate of ongoing killings and arbitrary arrests of members of the Alawite community, as well as the confiscation of the property of those who fled the March violence,' he said. Pinheiro's commission also 'documented abductions by unknown individuals of at least six Alawite women this spring in several Syrian governorates,' two of whom remain missing, and has received 'credible reports of more abductions,' he said. Pinheiro also called on authorities to put in place more protections for places of worship after Sunday's suicide bombing attack on a church outside of Damascus. The attack, which killed at least 25 people and wounded dozens more, was the first of its kind to take place in the Syrian capital in years. The Syrian government has said that the perpetrators belonged to a cell of the Daesh group and that they thwarted a subsequent attempt to target a Shiite shrine in the Sayyida Zeinab suburb in Damascus. 'Attacks on places of worship are outrageous and unacceptable,' Pinheiro said. 'The authorities must ensure the protection of places of worship and threatened communities and ensure that perpetrators and enablers are held accountable.' Assad was deposed in a lightning rebel offensive in December, bringing an end to a nearly 14-year civil war. In March, hundreds of civilians, most of them from the Alawite minority to which Assad belongs, were killed in revenge attacks after clashes broke out between pro-Assad armed groups and the new government security forces on the Syrian coast. Pinheiro said his commission had documented scattered 'revenge attacks' that happened before that, including killings in several villages in Hama and Homs provinces in late January in which men who had handed over their weapons under a 'settlement' process set up for former soldiers and members of security forces under Assad, believing that they would be granted an amnesty in exchange for disarmament, were then 'ill-treated and executed.' He praised the interim government's formation of a body tasked with investigating the attacks on the coast and said government officials had told his team that 'dozens of alleged perpetrators' were arrested. Pinheiro said the government needs to carry out a 'reform and vetting program' as it integrates a patchwork of former rebel factions into a new army and security services and enact 'concrete policies to put an end to Syria's entrenched cycles of violence and revenge, in a context where heightened tensions and sectarian divisions have been reignited.'
Ya Biladi
a day ago
- Politics
- Ya Biladi
UN honors Moroccan diplomat Halima Ouarzazi at International Day of Women in Diplomacy
The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights paid tribute Tuesday in Geneva to Moroccan diplomat Halima Ouarzazi, a pioneer of African female diplomacy, who passed away on May 14 after a distinguished career in international service. «Women, in all their diversity, have been working in diplomacy for generations. Halima Ouarzazi from Morocco and Belela Herrera from Uruguay, both recently deceased, are two cherished examples among many», said Nada Al-Nashif, Deputy High Commissioner, at the opening of an event marking the International Day of Women in Diplomacy during the 59th Human Rights Council (HRC) session. Ouarzazi represented Morocco with distinction, serving as Chair of the UN Third Committee, an expert with the UN Committee against Apartheid and Racial Discrimination, and a member of both the Council and Executive Committee of the International Institute of Human Rights. She also sat on the UN Sub-Commission on the Prevention of Discrimination and the Protection of Minorities. Her legacy was also honored through a photography exhibition titled Women Leaders in Multilateralism and Diplomacy, held at the Palais des Nations from June 24 to July 4. This year marks the first observance of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy, focused on removing barriers to women's leadership in peace and diplomacy. The event follows HRC Resolution 58/15, led by Morocco during the Council's 58th session. Backed by a cross-regional group including Chile, the Maldives, Mexico, Slovenia, Spain, and Mauritius, the resolution reflects a core priority of Moroccan foreign policy: advancing gender equality and promoting women's leadership in diplomacy and multilateral spaces. The group also called for stronger recognition of women's contributions in conflict prevention, peacebuilding, humanitarian response, and decision-making, including within the Human Rights Council itself.
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First Post
4 days ago
- Politics
- First Post
Iran says 'no agreement reached' but will halt strikes if Israel stops attacks
Iran has dismissed US President Donald Trump's claim of a ceasefire with Israel. Foreign Minister Araghchi said no agreement has been reached, but added that Iran will stop its military actions if Israel ends its attacks by 4 AM Tehran time. read more Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi addresses a special session of the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, June 20, 2025. File Image/Reuters Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has denied US President Donald Trump's claim that a ceasefire deal between Iran and Israel has been reached. In a statement issued hours after Trump's announcement, Araghchi made it clear that no agreement exists. Earlier, Trump had announced that Iran and Israel had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' set to begin within six hours, once both sides finished their final operations. He said the war would officially be over 24 hours after the ceasefire began. STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD 'As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around,' Araghchi wrote on X. 'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations.' More from World Is Israel running short on Arrow interceptor missiles amid conflict with Iran? As Iran has repeatedly made clear: Israel launched war on Iran, not the other way around. As of now, there is NO "agreement" on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations. However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no… — Seyed Abbas Araghchi (@araghchi) June 24, 2025 However, Araghchi said Iran will stop its military actions if Israel ends its attacks by 4 AM Tehran time. 'If the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people by 4 AM, we have no intention to continue our response,' he said, adding that a final decision on halting Iran's military operations will be made later.
Zawya
5 days ago
- Politics
- Zawya
Liberia to Commemorate International Day of Women in Diplomacy on June 24, 2025
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, with the support of UN Women Liberia, will host a high-level event on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in observance of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy. The event will take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Monrovia. Established by the United Nations General Assembly through Resolution 76/269 in 2022, the International Day of Women in Diplomacy is observed annually on June 24. This day recognizes the critical contributions of women to diplomacy, international affairs, and peacebuilding, from grassroots activism to global negotiations. It also shines a spotlight on the persistent barriers that hinder women's equal participation and leadership in diplomatic spaces. Despite gradual progress, women remain significantly underrepresented in diplomatic leadership worldwide. As of 2024, only 21% of ambassadors globally are women, with Africa accounting for 20%, up just slightly from 19% in 2023. These statistics reflect slow but ongoing efforts toward gender parity in diplomacy. In Liberia, women represent 43.9% of the Ministry's home office staff and 37.3% of foreign mission staff. However, they remain underrepresented in leadership roles, holding only 27.1% of home office leadership positions and 40.1% of decision-making roles in foreign missions. These figures demonstrate the urgent need for targeted reforms to advance gender-balanced leadership across the diplomatic service. In April 2025, the UN Human Rights Council adopted Resolution 58/15 on Women, Diplomacy and Human Rights, led by Morocco, Chile, Mexico, and Spain and co-sponsored by more than 95 Member States. The resolution calls for systemic reforms to eliminate discrimination in diplomatic spaces and reaffirms the global commitment to women's full, equal, and meaningful participation in diplomacy. Liberia has a proud legacy of women's leadership in diplomacy and peacebuilding. From former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Africa's first elected female head of state, to Nobel Laureate Leymah Gbowee, Liberian women have long shaped the country's diplomatic and peacebuilding efforts. Community-based mechanisms such as Peace Huts further highlight Liberia's grassroots innovations in women-led diplomacy. Liberia is also among the growing number of countries advancing a Feminist Foreign Policy (FFP). A member of the FFP+ Group at the United Nations, Liberia reaffirmed its commitment to gender-responsive diplomacy at the 78th UN General Assembly and again at the 2025 African Union Summit. These efforts align with Liberia's National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security (NAP-WPS) and global frameworks such as UNSCR 1325 and HRC Resolution 58/15. The June 24th event presents a strategic opportunity to: Celebrate the contributions of Liberian women to diplomacy and peacebuilding; Disseminate and contextualize HRC Resolution 58/15 within Liberia's policy landscape; Reaffirm Liberia's leadership in advancing gender-equitable diplomacy. Objectives of the Event Raise national awareness of the International Day of Women in Diplomacy and its alignment with Liberia's foreign policy and gender equality goals. Recognize and celebrate the achievements of Liberian women in formal and informal diplomatic spaces (Track I, II, and III). Disseminate HRC Resolution 58/15 and explore its relevance to Liberia's Feminist Foreign Policy. Facilitate dialogue among stakeholders on institutional reforms, mentorship, and pathways to expand women's leadership in diplomacy. Generate actionable recommendations for creating enabling environments for women across Liberia's foreign service. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs invites stakeholders from across government, civil society, academia, diplomatic missions, and development partners to join this important occasion in honoring and advancing the role of women in diplomacy. Distributed by APO Group on behalf of Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Liberia.
