Protecting Civilians in Ukraine Now — and After the War

Protecting Civilians in Ukraine Now — and After the War

Thursday, April 21, 2022

By: Philippe Leroux-Martin;  Calin Trenkov-Wermuth, Ph.D.

From the images of the people summarily executed in Bucha to the remnants of Mariupol’s bombarded theater where hundreds of civilian refugees perished, Russia’s war on Ukraine has unleashed immense suffering on the civilian population. As policymakers debate the most effective forms of support amid Russia’s new offensive in the east and southeast, Ukraine must be provided with the necessary military assistance to fend off Russian aggression. But it will be equally important to immediately start planning for the long term, preparing to offer flexible and multifaceted support to the military and civilian components of Ukraine’s security sector.

Type: Analysis

Justice, Security & Rule of Law

El Salvador necesita soluciones a largo plazo para poner fin a los ciclos de violencia

El Salvador necesita soluciones a largo plazo para poner fin a los ciclos de violencia

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

By: Mary Speck, Ph.D.

El gobierno de El Salvador reaccionó con dureza ante un reciente aumento en los homicidios al imponer un Estado de emergencia y detener a miles de presuntos pandilleros. La historia reciente sugiere que la aplicación de la ley por sí sola no puede resolver el problema sin tener programas integrales de prevención, intervención y rehabilitación de pandillas en comunidades marginadas. Mary Speck de USIP analiza la violencia en El Salvador y cómo el país puede reducir el crimen sin dejar de respetar los derechos humanos.

Type: Analysis

Human RightsJustice, Security & Rule of Law

El Salvador Needs Long-Term Solutions to End Cycles of Violence

El Salvador Needs Long-Term Solutions to End Cycles of Violence

Wednesday, April 6, 2022

By: Mary Speck, Ph.D.

The government of El Salvador reacted harshly to a recent spike in homicides by imposing a state of emergency and rounding up thousands of suspected gang members. Recent history suggests that law enforcement alone cannot solve the problem without comprehensive gang prevention, intervention and rehabilitation programs in marginalized communities. USIP’s Mary Speck discusses violence in El Salvador and how the country can reduce crime while still respecting human rights.

Type: Analysis

Human RightsJustice, Security & Rule of Law

Colombia Police Reform: The Critical Need to Include Rural Forces

Colombia Police Reform: The Critical Need to Include Rural Forces

Monday, January 10, 2022

By: Nicolás Devia-Valbuena;  Carlos Hoyos;  Keith Mines

The Colombian government, seeking to reform its National Police in a time of security challenges and mass protests, has focused on big-city units that sit in the national spotlight. While the reform efforts are generally praiseworthy, the emphasis on urban areas creates the risk of losing sight of the country’s rural regions — places where guerrillas and other armed actors hold sway, and the fate of peace efforts will ultimately be determined. The resolve and capacity of rural police and courts to meet the needs of citizens in these zones will be critical to achieving meaningful and lasting peace.

Type: Analysis

Justice, Security & Rule of Law

To Consolidate Democracy, Change U.S. Security Assistance

To Consolidate Democracy, Change U.S. Security Assistance

Thursday, December 16, 2021

By: Emily Cole;  Calin Trenkov-Wermuth, Ph.D.

As the United States pursues its initiative to bolster democratic rule and human rights after last week’s Summit for Democracy, a priority should be to diagnose and repair the flaws in U.S. and allied approaches to helping vulnerable nations strengthen their security. Our existing pattern of security sector assistance focuses largely on training and equipping such nations’ forces, and it emphasizes the security of governments and institutions, rather than of the people they are meant to serve. This type of assistance prioritizes short-term tactical gains to the detriment of long-term U.S. strategic goals—and it should be reformed.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & GovernanceJustice, Security & Rule of Law

A Global Democratic Renaissance or a More Volatile World?

A Global Democratic Renaissance or a More Volatile World?

Thursday, June 10, 2021

By: Anthony Navone

With a staggering array of immediate crises facing the world — from the COVID pandemic to a global increase in extremist violence — it sometimes feels difficult, perhaps even impossible, to look beyond the current moment and envision what the world will look in the coming decades. However, looming demographic, economic, environmental and technological shifts are already starting to affect the global geopolitical environment — not only worsening our current crises, but inciting new ones should we fail to put in place long-term strategies to address them.

Type: Analysis

Democracy & GovernanceEnvironmentJustice, Security & Rule of LawEconomics

How Missing Data Can Make the Global Fragility Strategy Work

How Missing Data Can Make the Global Fragility Strategy Work

Thursday, May 20, 2021

By: Michael F. Harsch;  Calin Trenkov-Wermuth, Ph.D.

As glaring inequalities in the global recovery from COVID-19 become clearer, the U.N. has warned of growing risks of political tensions and conflict in many countries. This poses a daunting challenge to U.S. foreign policy and presents a test for the new Global Fragility Strategy (GFS), which aims to reduce state fragility and break cycles of violence in critical regions. What the GFS lacks, however, is a clear “theory of success” that explains why and how proposed actions will lead to desired outcomes in fragile states. A new capacity-based approach is needed to identify fragile states with high potential for effective engagement, particularly security sector reform (SSR).

Type: Analysis

Fragility & ResilienceJustice, Security & Rule of Law

Extending Constitutional Rights to Pakistan’s Tribal Areas

Extending Constitutional Rights to Pakistan’s Tribal Areas

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

By: Umar Mahmood Khan;  Rana Hamza Ijaz;  Sevim Saadat

When Pakistan’s Federally Administered Tribal Areas were officially merged into Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province in May 2018, the five million residents of the former tribal areas acquired the same constitutional rights and protections—including access to a formal judicial system—as Pakistan’s other citizens. This report, based on field research carried out by the authors, explores the status of the formal justice system’s expansion, finding both positive trends and severe administrative and capacity challenges, and offers recommendations to address these issues.

Type: Special Report

Justice, Security & Rule of Law

“No Going Backward”: Afghanistan’s Post–Peace Accord Security Sector

“No Going Backward”: Afghanistan’s Post–Peace Accord Security Sector

Tuesday, March 23, 2021

By: Annie Pforzheimer;  Andrew Hyde;  Jason Criss Howk

Failure to plan realistically for needed changes in Afghanistan’s security sector following a peace settlement—and failure to start phasing in changes now—will lead to post-settlement instability. This report examines the particular challenges Afghanistan will face, with examples from the climate following peace settlements in other parts of the world offering insight into what may occur and possibilities for response.

Type: Peaceworks

Justice, Security & Rule of Law