In 2022, the growing impacts of climate change have been felt across the globe, from prolonged drought in the Middle East and North Africa, to erratic monsoons in South Asia and record-breaking... Show moreIn 2022, the growing impacts of climate change have been felt across the globe, from prolonged drought in the Middle East and North Africa, to erratic monsoons in South Asia and record-breaking heat waves in Europe and China. At the same time, the COVID-19 pandemic—which reached the tragic milestone of one million deaths within the first eight months of this year—and the ongoing war in Ukraine and other violent conflicts have impeded global progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals. To address these and other pressing global challenges, in his 2021 Out Common Agenda report, UN Secretary-General António Guterres called for a Summit of the Future to improve collective action worldwide. Among the summit’s anticipated outcomes are a Declaration on Future Generations, a Global Digital Compact, and a New Agenda for Peace. This report elaborates on the challenges, proposed major elements, and potential spoilers to be overcome by each of these global policy frameworks. It further argues that meaningful civil society engagement in the summit’s preparations can reassure all stakeholders that decisions taken in September 2023 are well-informed, enjoy broad social ownership, and generate a sense of co-responsibility in supporting their implementation. Show less
Ponzio, R.; Yusuf, N.; Larik, J.E.; Arjomand, B.; Siddiqui, M.; Zhang, J.; Durch, W. 2022
Fears of rising conflict, new COVID-19 variants, irreversible climate change, and eroding collaboration in the global economy threaten to undermine the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and... Show moreFears of rising conflict, new COVID-19 variants, irreversible climate change, and eroding collaboration in the global economy threaten to undermine the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and other efforts to advance human progress. Yet, a once-in-a-generation opportunity to review and dramatically improve global tools for managing such enormous challenges, a Summit of the Future, is under serious consideration for September 2023 by the United Nations’ 193 Member States. Informed by research and policy dialogues—initially undertaken for the Albright-Gambari Commission and its follow-through, and most recently to help flesh out key proposals in the Secretary-General’s seminal report, Our Common Agenda—this report’s twenty main recommendations are intended to encourage more ambitious, forward-looking thinking and deliberation on global governance renewal and innovation in the run-up to next year’s Summit. Show less
During armed conflict, non-State armed groups (NSAGs) deprive individuals of their liberty on a regular basis. Yet, examining these activities goes beyond their mere acknowledgment. This thesis... Show moreDuring armed conflict, non-State armed groups (NSAGs) deprive individuals of their liberty on a regular basis. Yet, examining these activities goes beyond their mere acknowledgment. This thesis explores the legal regulation of NSAGs’ detention activities in non-international armed conflicts (NIACs) from a functional perspective. It does so by concentrating on NSAGs’ practices in this field, presenting and testing the hypothesis that international humanitarian law (IHL) and, on certain occasions, international human rights law (IHRL) oblige these actors not to arbitrarily deprive individuals of their liberty. Furthermore, it argues that NSAGs must have a legal basis in order to undertake these activities. By relying on a “legal pluralistic” approach of international law, that basis is to be found in those “laws” and regulations established by the groups themselves. Other options are also possible, such as the adaption of the State’s domestic law or an agreement concluded with a third party. This proposal is grounded on the “functions” required by the aforementioned legal regimes to be respected, in particular for the parties (be they States or NSAGs) to adopt certain law-making or law-adapting functions with the goal of complying with some of the provisions contained therein. Show less
The Leiden Overview on SOGIESC in International Law is a list of existing online introductory video/audio/reading materials about the international legal aspects of sexual orientation, gender... Show moreThe Leiden Overview on SOGIESC in International Law is a list of existing online introductory video/audio/reading materials about the international legal aspects of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression or sex characteristics. One of its intended uses is as preparatory material for anyone (considering) taking part in Leiden University’s annual Summer School on SOGI in International Law. Also by others, it can also be used as an introduction to - or as course materials about - the growing field of sexual orientation, gender identity/expression and/or sex characteristics in international law.The Leiden Overview consists of six paragraphs (Global law; United Nations; Areas of international law; Specific rights; Regional law; National state practice), each divided over three columns (Online introductory video & audio materials; Online introductory reading materials; Further online information).It is a work in progress that is being updated from time to time, with the latest version being available at https://www.universiteitleiden.nl/en/education/study-programmes/summer-schools/sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-in-international-law-human-rights-and-beyond/leiden-overview-on-sogiesc-in-international-lawShow less
Colonial injustice has suffered from the effects of amnesia in international law. Law has served as an instrument to justify injustice in the past and to silence its contemporary effects. The rise... Show moreColonial injustice has suffered from the effects of amnesia in international law. Law has served as an instrument to justify injustice in the past and to silence its contemporary effects. The rise of the ‘Black Lives Matter’ movement, TWAIL scholarship and the current debate on racism, slavery and return of cultural colonial objects illustrate the ongoing effects of colonialism. Some seemingly neutral principles and institutions of international law contribute to colonial amnesia. This contribution argues that it is time to revisit this status quo. It draws on emerging case law, scholarship and practices to identify news ways of relational engagement with the past. It suggests a re-reading of three fundamental dimensions of post-colonial engagement with colonial injustice: intertemporality, legal subjectivity and the approach towards cultural colonial objects. It claims that international criminal law has only a modest role in relation to colonial crimes. However, some wider lessons and methods from the field of transitional justice may help to mitigate contemporary dilemmas and contribute to a more post-colonial international law. Show less
In less unusual times, the European Union’s Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy would have been received as merely the latest iteration of the main tenets and ambitions of EU external... Show moreIn less unusual times, the European Union’s Global Strategy for Foreign and Security Policy would have been received as merely the latest iteration of the main tenets and ambitions of EU external action – this time with an enhanced dose of pragmatism to respond to a more challenging international environment. However, with ‘Brexit’ looming large and one and a half years into the Trump Presidency in the United States, the Global Strategy has acquired a new level of significance. This article argues that while meant to express a largely uncontroversial ‘Western’ consensus, it now needs to be re-contextualized as a distinctive vision in the face of trends of antiglobalism and Euroscepticism. This concerns in particular the Strategy’s emphasis on rules-based global governance. Challenged by both President Trump’s ‘America First’ policy and the British government’s course for a ‘hard Brexit’, the Global Strategy now represents a contested blueprint and rallying point for a continued pursuit of a liberal world order based on the rule of law. Show less
EU external relations law is a doubly peculiar field of scholarship that has attracted significant scholarly attention over the last several decades. It is both part of EU law—considered a "new... Show moreEU external relations law is a doubly peculiar field of scholarship that has attracted significant scholarly attention over the last several decades. It is both part of EU law—considered a "new legal order" distinct from international law—and it is concerned with the European Union as a global actor, a "strange animal" in that the EU is neither a state nor a classical international organization. This essay argues that in the emerging field of comparative foreign relations law, the law of EU external relations will be both a supporting pillar and important driver: A pillar, because, next to U.S. foreign relations law, it is one of the most vibrant scholarly discourses on the subject; and a driver, because it continues to be a fascinating comparator for national—especially federal—systems of foreign relations law that questions many of the assumptions underlying nation-based concepts and blurs the lines between national and international law. Show less
On 8 and 9 December 2015, The Hague Institute for Global Justice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, organized both a public high-level discussion and a... Show moreOn 8 and 9 December 2015, The Hague Institute for Global Justice, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, organized both a public high-level discussion and a closed expert consultation on the EU’s forthcoming Global Strategy on Foreign and Security Policy. The events focused on how the Union and its Member States can promote a rules-based international system and effective multilateral institutions in a rapidly changing environment marked by numerous crises and challenges. The high-level discussion on the morning of 8 December featured keynote addresses from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, Bert Koenders, and the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. The high-level discussion also served as a prelude to the subsequent expert consultation, which was carried out according to the following methodology. The participants in the consultation were selected from among leading experts in EU foreign policy, global governance, European and international law, and multilateral diplomacy. Reflecting a diverse and representative set of stakeholders and professional perspectives, the experts came from think tanks, academia, international organizations, NGOs, and the private sector. Particular attention was paid to ensuring gender balance and including external perspectives from emerging powers and key partners of the EU, such as Brazil, Russia, India, China, and Nigeria. In the course of several breakout sessions and plenary discussions, the participants elaborated on the themes of: the EU’s role in developing the international legal order, promoting effective multilateral institutions, and engaging non-state actors in tackling the most pressing global challenges (see Annex I for the program). The expert consultation, held under the Chatham House Rule, was preceded by an e-consultation, which ran from mid-November and included a wider circle of experienced international specialists, as well as younger, emerging experts and youth representatives from diverse disciplines and professions (see Annex II for the summary of the econsultation). The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, working together with a number of like-minded Member States, such as Romania and Austria, can draw on the output of the high-level discussion and the expert consultation to contribute to the discussion on the new EU Global Strategy. Show less
This edited Working Paper addresses three fundamental questions concerning EU External Action after the Lisbon Treaty: the institutional position and allegiance of the newly-established European... Show moreThis edited Working Paper addresses three fundamental questions concerning EU External Action after the Lisbon Treaty: the institutional position and allegiance of the newly-established European External Action Service, the future of the ‘left out’ Directorate-General for Trade and the Common Commercial Policy, and the protection of EU citizens abroad. These enquires are prompted by both an institutional innovation – the launch of the EEAS – as well as by a number of substantive changes to the legal framework of EU External Action. An ambitious agenda has been inserted into the primary law, around which the Union institutions and Member States are to rally. It is in turn the raison d’être of the EEAS to foster the ensuing need for consistency, as well as to provide impetus to the EU’s external action. Structurally, it is in itself a sui generis institution composed of officials from the Commission, the Council and the Member States. This raises a number of fundamental questions that go well beyond those concerning which person is going to be the new EU ambassador in Washington or Beijing. Above all, can these substantive and institutional innovations live up to the grand ambitions of the peculiar entity that is the EU? What old problems does it purport to solve, and what are the new problems it is likely to create? Essentially, to which extent does bundling the external objectives in the Treaties as well as pooling together the institutional resources in Brussels and the delegations actually render the EU an ‘ever-closer’ actor in the world? Show less
Uitgebreid onderzoek wijst uit dat de roep om extreme sharia toch niet heeft geleid tot een algemene wending richting conservatisme in het geheel van rechtssystemen in moslimlanden. Sterker nog,... Show moreUitgebreid onderzoek wijst uit dat de roep om extreme sharia toch niet heeft geleid tot een algemene wending richting conservatisme in het geheel van rechtssystemen in moslimlanden. Sterker nog, uit een objectieve studie uitgevoerd door de Universiteit Leiden, blijkt juist dat in een aantal moslimlanden er een liberalisering heeft plaatsgevonden, vooral in het familierecht. Bovendien wijzen de onderzoekers in deze studie erop dat acceptatie van mensenrechten door moslimlanden aanmerkelijk is toegenomen, terwijl de uitvoering van wrede lijfstraffen zoals steniging en amputatie juist is afgenomen. Dit zijn slechts enkele van de ontwikkelingen die aangetoond worden in deze unieke publicatie over de verhouding tussen sharia en nationaal recht in twaalf moslimlanden. Sharia incorporated vergelijkt de theorie en de praktijk van de Sharia in de moslimwereld en draagt daarmee bij aan inzicht om een verstandig beleid te voeren "Sharia incorporated is essential reading for anyone who seeks a better informed, more nuanced picture of law in Muslim majority countries than we normally get. Without being starry-eyed, the country studies show the complexity of reconciling law with custom, and religious with secular laws. Sometimes violent Puritanism clashes with older forms of religious discourse, market economies affect older ways of life, and modern states struggle to make traditional and modern institutions cohere. If nothing else, this book offers a necessary antidote to glib thinking and ignorant prejudice." Ian Buruma Bekijk " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nZbm_oluDWA ">hier een toelichting op het boek door Jan Michiel Otto. The aim of Sharia Incorporated is to provide unbiased and contextual information about a topic that has of late been hijacked by politics in the Muslim world as well as in the West. Sharia Incorporated, written by laudable international scholars, is an ambitious study of the incorporation of Islamic law traditions into national legal systems. The book also explores the sensitive topic of 'Western' human rights and other rule of law standards in a Muslim world. It provides an in-depth analysis of the role of sharia in the historical and legal formation of twelve representative Muslim states, with a unique comparison of key issues raised by the 'Islamic awakening' of recent decades. In the preface Jan Michiel Otto goes to the heart of the prevailing environment in which Western discourses tend to oversimplify the substance and effect of Islam and sharia. "Sharia incorporated is essential reading for anyone who seeks a better informed, more nuanced picture of law in Muslim majority countries than we normally get. Without being starry-eyed, the country studies show the complexity of reconciling law with custom, and religious with secular laws. Sometimes violent Puritanism clashes with older forms of religious discourse, market economies affect older ways of life, and modern states struggle to make traditional and modern institutions cohere. If nothing else, this book offers a necessary antidote to glib thinking and ignorant prejudice." Ian Buruma Watch a clarification on the book by Jan Michiel Otto" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eu1yF_nhvVc "> here Show less
Wereldwijd klagen gebruikers van het gerecht over lange wachttijden, slechte toegang tot juridische informatie en corruptie. Deze studie onderzoekt hoe IT kan helpen bij deze klachten. Na een... Show moreWereldwijd klagen gebruikers van het gerecht over lange wachttijden, slechte toegang tot juridische informatie en corruptie. Deze studie onderzoekt hoe IT kan helpen bij deze klachten. Na een overzicht van de bestaande kennis beschrijft Dory Reiling de gang van zaken in de praktijk, gebaseerd op een verscheidenheid van bronnen. Kantoortechnologie heeft tot nu toe vooral een ondersteunende rol gespeeld in de papieren processen. De introductie van IT, door bijvoorbeeld informatie te verspreiden via het internet, kan corruptie verminderen en het gerechtelijk proces verbeteren. Tot slot onderzoekt de auteur de invloed van nieuwe IT-ontwikkelingen op het gerecht en hoe bestuur en processen van rechterlijke macht moeten veranderen om met die technologie de rechtspleging te verbeteren. Technology for Justice examines the impact of IT on the administration of justice. Drawing on a broad variety of sources such as comparative studies, statistics, case law and legal studies on the use of IT in court, Reiling examines how IT can help remedy judicial delays, lack of access to justice and court corruption. She also explores the potential of the Internet technology for increasing access to legal information as a means of self help with settlement and support for court access. Show less
Ubink, Janine; Rahmato, Dessalegn; Amanor, Kojo Sebastian 2009
Miljoenen mensen wonen en werken op land waarop zij geen officiC+le rechten hebben. Hun bezit wordt vaak wel beschermd door niet-statelijke rechten die wortelen in lokale gemeenschappen.... Show moreMiljoenen mensen wonen en werken op land waarop zij geen officiC+le rechten hebben. Hun bezit wordt vaak wel beschermd door niet-statelijke rechten die wortelen in lokale gemeenschappen. Ontwikkelingsdeskundigen en donoren hebben lange tijd zulke onofficiC+le regelingen als een hinderpaal voor ontwikkeling gezien en gewerkt aan invoering van individueel eigendom en complexe registratie, teneinde investeringen in land, huis en bedrijfje aan te moedigen en de productiviteit te verhogen. Deze aanpak werkt niet en daarom wordt nu gezocht naar een nieuwe, pluralistischer aanpak die probeert lokale regelingen te erkennen en waar nodig te verbeteren. In dit boek worden zulke nieuwe benaderingen onderzocht. Experts uit acht landen in AziC+, Latijns-Amerika en Afrika behandelen eerst de landwetgeving en -politiek van hun land en komen dan met een concrete gevalstudie van zo'n nieuwe aanpak. Steeds is de vraag wat zo'n nieuwe statelijke aanpak van landrechten betekent in het dagelijkse leven van kleine boeren (ruraal), van bewoners van onofficiC+le stedelijke wijken (urbaan) en van mensen die onder de rook van de stad wonen en werken (peri-urbaan). Hoe zeker voelen zij zich nu van hun rechten (tenure security), kennen ze de nieuwe regeling en kunnen ze zich er effectief op beroepen (legal empowerment), werken de overheidsinstanties controleerbaar (control of bureaucrats)? Millions of people live and work on land that they do not legally own in accordance with enforceable state law. The absence of state recognition for local property rights affects people's tenure security and impedes development. Efforts to legalise extra-legal land tenure have traditionally emphasised individual titling and registration. Disappointment with such approaches have led to a search for 'a third way' in land tenure regulation that will reconcile state perspectives with local land rights. This book contributes to the quest for a new pluralistic approach. It combines the description of land tenure regimes in Africa, Latin America and Asia with an analysis of designs, objectives, and actual implementation of specific legalisation programmes. This allows for conclusions on the relationship between various kinds of legalisations and tenure security and the challenges to improve the design and implementation of legalisation programmes Show less
At present, virtually everyone working in the field of development agrees that reform of mal-functioning court systems is central in promoting good governance and rule of law. Unfortunately,... Show moreAt present, virtually everyone working in the field of development agrees that reform of mal-functioning court systems is central in promoting good governance and rule of law. Unfortunately, however, the record of court reform attempts is not very heartening. Those who intend to reform must take into account a complex set of courts' relations with other state agencies, dispute resolvers, and actors in the state legal system, but they also depend heavily on the quality of legislation and legal education. In reaction to this complexity, three types of strategies have been common for court reform programmes: the 'holistic', the 'tactical', and the 'strategic' approach. This Research and Policy Note discusses strategic court reform and its underlying ideas. Its main intention is to alert those involved in judicial reform to some of the pitfalls and choices connected to particular types of interventions. The concluding remarks will comment on the political nature of judicial reform and on a model to design a proper sequence of interventions for judicial reform Show less
Over the last decades there has been increased recognition that law and governance matter for development, be it macro-economic growth or the improvement of micro-level basic needs and freedoms.... Show moreOver the last decades there has been increased recognition that law and governance matter for development, be it macro-economic growth or the improvement of micro-level basic needs and freedoms. Legislation is a central part of state legal systems, and often the written legal norms are a starting point when seeking improvement of the legal system as a whole, or one of its specific aspects. This volume discusses how legislation (the product) and lawmaking (the process) function in developing countries, and how legislation contributes to development and how lawmaking and legislation can be improved either by the country itself or by donor assisted projects. It covers topics including legal transplantation, legislative quality, linkages between legislation and implementation, and the politics of lawmaking. The resultant volume combines insights from scholars, based on conceptual analysis and empirical research, with ideas from practitioners involved in lawmaking in legal technical assistance projects. Doing so, this volume aims to be useful for both academia and practice Show less
Traditional authority is a distinguishing feature in the landscape of contemporary Africa. In many African countries, traditional leadership remains important in organising the life of the people... Show moreTraditional authority is a distinguishing feature in the landscape of contemporary Africa. In many African countries, traditional leadership remains important in organising the life of the people at the local level despite modern state structures. Traditional leaders deliver essential services that African states do not always succeed in delivering; they act as intermediaries between the government and the local population; and they are often a political force to reckon with, wielding enormous electoral and general influence in their own communities due to their control over resources and people Show less
