News and views from the Blavatnik School of Government community 
Advocate Hina Jilani is a pioneering lawyer who has dedicated her career to fighting for the vulnerable, minorities and political prisoners. She established the first all-women’s law firm (1981) and first legal aid centre in Pakistan (1986) and was awarded the Millennium Peace Prize for Women in 2001 for her […]
The Climate Ambition Summit on 12 December saw countries making various kinds of pledge to accelerate emission-cutting: ending use of fossil fuels (Barbados), putting an end to new coal-fired power station building (Pakistan), making deeper reductions over the next decade (Colombia, Rwanda)… and setting a net zero emissions target (Kazakhstan). Welcome, Kazakhstan, to the […]
It was 3 February 2017 – the 19th session of the United Nations Youth Assembly. As I stood at the podium as a youth delegate and surveyed the room of dignitaries, I suddenly felt a great weight of responsibility. Under its own volition my heartbeat increased suddenly and exponentially, but […]
On 24 June 2020, Ib Petersen was appointed to serve as the Assistant Secretary-General, Deputy Executive Director, Management of the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA). Mr Petersen brings over 30 years’ experience serving the Danish government in bilateral and multilateral affairs and development. He has served as Director for the […]
Olivier Adam took office as the Executive Coordinator of the United Nations Volunteers (UNV) on 2 January 2017. Growing up during the Cold War, and witnessing the lasting impact of World War II on close family members, Mr Adam holds the UN Charter and the value of peace close to […]
This past summer marked the 20th anniversary of my first visit to the United Nations (UN). I remember first walking into the UN complex during a family trip. We promptly joined a tour and were fortunate to be assigned a guide who was deeply knowledgeable about the inner workings of […]
The United Nations is seeking a new secretary-general. The World Bank presidency is up for grabs. The World Health Organization needs a new head. The same goes for several other international organisations. At a time when conflicts of interest among the United States and its allies, together with the rise […]
Pacta sunt servanda. This is the fundamental principle governing states’ consent to be bound by international treaties. It communicates that treaties must be performed in good faith. In practice however, states often fail to perform their treaty obligations and in so doing, challenge some theories of compliance. On the matter […]