Articles for tag: Rechtsstaat, Sanctions, UN, Völkerrecht

The Double Effect of “Double Standards”

The summer may have brought a pause to parliamentary sessions, university lectures, and the editorial of Verfassungsblog, but not to international law. In early September, the Shanghai Summit made the continuing erosion of the so-called liberal international legal order and the looming risk of its fragmentation evident. The leaders of the assembled Asian states (mostly autocracies) once again decried the West’s (or North’s) “double standards” (Tianjin Declaration of 1 September 2025). The accusation of double standards is not new, but in today’s period of upheaval in the world order, it has acquired an entirely new dynamism and urgency. It focuses ... continue reading

12. September 2025

, , ,

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit

Vijaya Lakshmi Pandit (née Swarupa Kumari Nehru) was a famous diplomat, politician and Indian freedom fighter during the 20th century. Her role in international politics and relations as well as the development of the model and formation of the United Nations is oftentimes shadowed by her connection to her brother Jawharlal Nehru, the first president of independent post-colonial India, and Mahatma Ghandi, who she fought alongside with for an Indian state free from British imperial rule.

19. Juni 2025

, , ,

30 Jahre nach Beijing

Bei der 69. Sitzung der Commission on the Status of Women, die vom 10. bis 21. März 2025 in New York stattfand, wurde nicht nur die globale Gleichstellungspolitik der letzten 30 Jahre bilanziert, sondern auch die Beijing +30 Action Agenda präsentiert. Die Agenda bietet einen konkreten, global anschlussfähigen Rahmen für die Gleichstellungspolitik der nächsten zehn Jahre. Ob dieser umgesetzt wird, hängt jedoch vor allem von der politischen Umsetzungskraft, ausreichender Finanzierung und der Offenheit von Machtzentren für feministische Perspektiven ab.

28. März 2025

, ,

Tendayi Achiume

Tendayi Achiume is a leading voice in international law, combining academic expertise with global advocacy to combat systemic racism, xenophobia, and gender discrimination. Her career is marked by an unwavering commitment to social justice, grounded in the belief that interdisciplinary collaboration is essential for impactful knowledge production. Through her work, she has distinctively contributed to rethinking human rights in the context of colonial legacies and migration justice.

22. Dezember 2024

, , , , , ,

Paula Escarameia

Paula Ventura de Carvalho Escarameia’s legacy extends beyond classical legal achievements. With a diversified career over decades that got cut short way too soon at the age of fifty, she’s earned global acclaim for her expertise in public international law, especially concerning the situation in East Timor. She believed that public international law was no rigid construct but could and should be changed especially in the areas of self-determination and the protection of human rights – ultimately contributing to the establishment of the International Criminal Court.

8. Dezember 2024

, , ,

The right lessons from Trump 1.0

The US withdrawal from international institutions is a broader trend, not solely tied to Trump-era policies. Consequently, European governments that aim to preserve the rules-based international order should be prepared to take the lead and fill the gap left by the US exit. To pursue this strategy effectively, certain imperatives must be addressed.

31. Oktober 2024

, , , ,

Do Sanctions Work?

After Rhodesia's 1965 unilateral declaration of independence, which upheld white minority rule, sanctions were imposed to challenge the regime. However, support from allies like South Africa helped circumvent these restrictions, revealing the limitations and mixed effectiveness of sanctions.

24. Oktober 2024

, , ,

The Rule of Law and the United Nations Summit of the Future

Is the rule of law an unwritten principle for the UN system? Today, rule of law language has been gradually replaced by a new paradigm of ‘inclusivity’. The rule of law debate within the UN was centered on a thick understanding of the rule of law, highlighting substantive values rather than procedural guarantees. Absent a consented definition of the term, the rule of law was never considered to be an unwritten principle for the UN system.

10. Juli 2024

, , ,

Why Today’s UN Security Council Resolution Demanding an Immediate Ceasefire Is Legally Binding

Today, the Security Council adopted a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza during Ramadan as a first step to a “lasting sustainable ceasefire”. This comes after a months-long impasse and a total of five vetoes on the matter. The resolution is – despite statements to the contrary – legally binding and creates a legally binding request for an immediate ceasefire during Ramadan and a legally binding request to immediately release all hostages.

25. März 2024

, ,

UNRWA as Sui Generis

Since UNRWA preemptively disclosed Israel’s claim to have evidence that 12 UNRWA employees participated in the 7 October 2023 attacks, at least 16 donor states and the European Union, which collectively supply the vast majority of the Agency’s budget, have suspended their contributions. This poses an existential threat to UNRWA, the largest provider of humanitarian assistance in Gaza. This post explains how the current episode displays the unsatisfactory sui generis status of UNRWA’s Palestinian staff, and forms part of an ongoing and largely successful attempt to position UNRWA as a compromised, sui generis UN organisation which constitutes an outlier in the law and practice of the United Nations.

9. Februar 2024

, , , , , ,