United Nations Mission Research Articles

Health and well-being for all: an approach to acceleratingprogress to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in countries in the WHO European Region.

BackgroundForty-three out of 53 of the WHO European Member States have set up political and institutional mechanisms to implement the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This includes governance and institutional mechanisms, engaging stakeholders, identifying targets and indicators, setting governmental and sectoral priorities for action and reporting progress regularly. Still, growing evidence suggests that there is room for advancing implementation of some of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets at a higher pace in the WHO European Region. This article proposes the E4A approach to support WHO European Member States in their efforts to achieve the health-related SDG targets.MethodsThe E4A approach was developed through a 2-year, multi-stage process, starting with the endorsement of the SDG Roadmap by all WHO European Member States in 2017. This approach resulted from a mix of qualitative methods: a semi-structured desk review of existing committal documents and tools; in-country policy dialogs, interviews and reports; joint UN missions and discussion among multi-lateral organizations; consultation with an advisory group of academics and health policy experts across countries.ResultsThe E—engage—functions as the driver and pace-maker; the 4 As—assess, align, accelerate and account—serve as building blocks composed of policies, processes, activities and interventions operating in continuous and synchronized action. Each of the building blocks is an essential part of the approach that can be applied across geographic and institutional levels.ConclusionWhile the E4A approach is being finalized, this article aims to generate debate and input to further refine and test this approach from a public health and user perspective.

The South Sudan Conflict: Continentalan and International Implications

The South Sudan conflict which started in December 2013 is now entering its second year with continental and international implications far beyond comprehension in terms of human tragedy in one of the world’s newest nations. Continued fi ghting between the government troops and the rebel forces has displaced more than 1 000 000 and killed over 10 0000 people while a humanitarian crisis threatens many more South Sudanese and their neighbouring states. The war risks tearing the country apart as well as creating a potential humanitarian crisis of epic proportions on neighbouring states. Hence, this article examines the continental and international implications of the current South Sudanese confl ict which has roped in the African Union spearheaded by the Inter-Governmental Organization and the United Nations Mission in South Sudan. It argues that the heart of this post-independence conflict in South Sudan is the personal rivalry between President Salva Kiir and his former Vice President Riek Machar. This study attempts to provide a detailed outline of the South Sudanese civil confl ict by conducting an in-depth investigation of secondary data as well as interviews with military peacekeepers imbued with experience on the ground in South Sudan. To address the conflict, this paper suggests that the international community and the country’s leadership need to focus on resolving this personality-driven rivalry to pave way for sustainable peace in the country

Long-lasting Peace in Liberia?

In 2018, the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released his report measuring progress on the implementation of sustaining peace, outlining four areas with a focus on: effective leadership; operational and policy coherence; partnerships; and financing for peacebuilding. This article examines the implementation of the recommendations made by Guterres on peacebuilding and sustaining peace in Liberia. With the departure of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) and the political transition from former President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to current President George Weah, Liberia is seen as a test case for the implementation of the Secretary-General’s recommendations.

The Legacy of Peacekeeping on the Liberian Security Sector

On December 23, 2016, the United Nations Security Council extended the mandate of the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL) for a final period until March 30, 2018. This resolution marked the e...

Topic: The United Nations and the Management of Humanitarian Crisis Risks: An Analysis Based on the Contractualist Philosophies of Thomas Hobbes and John Locke

This article is a sociology of international law analysis that aims to understand and better assess the application of the United Nations Charter regarding the management of humanitarian crisis risks, on the basis of the logic that underpins the creation, structuring and functioning of the United Nations. By confronting this logic with the Hobbesian and Lockean contractualist philosophies, this article notices its identification to these philosophies, with a Hobbesian predominance. Consequently, the results of the United Nations efforts with regard to the management of humanitarian crisis risks are considerable but are not sufficient to meet the problem of perpetual insecurity for all members of international society. The answers to the problem of insecurity theorized by Hobbes and Locke, although valuable, are limited in their conception of human nature, particularly its ontological individualism. It is from the option for an orientation of this one that result their respective models of political formations which do not make it possible to curb the insecurity under an identity basis that persists in the case of the United Nations mission regarding the management of humanitarian crisis risks. Thus, another orientation of that individualism, especially towards the sense of an ontological identification of Men could have reinforced these solutions, not only on a purely ethical basis, but also on the concrete evidence that the pursuit of security of some to the detriment of others, on a discriminatory identity basis is the main factor of insecurity for all. So for better results from the commitment of crisis risks management, the United Nations have to address this major issue.

Cas/Medevac in field area: An experience and lessons drawn

Introduction: Success of Cas/Medevac missions depends on effective coordination between all agencies involved. The focus by medical authorities on the treatment and medical care at time leads to avoidable procedural complexity. Certain lessons are drawn from the United Nations (UNs) field areas for Cas/Medevac missions/laid down procedures and recommendations made for streamlining our own procedures. Materials and Methods: The data pertaining to Cas/Medevac details from IFH Level-II Malakal (UN Mission in South Sudan [UNMISS]) for January 2017 - February 2018 were collected and analyzed. Standard operating procedures (SOPs) followed in the UN field areas for Cas/Medevac missions were also studied and analyzed. Results and Discussion: A total of 19 cases were air evacuated from IFH Level-II UNMISS to higher medical establishments and 11 cases from periphery to IFH Level-II in 1 year plus period. Aeromedical issues involved are discussed here with emphasis on Medevac of patient with suspicion of hollow viscus perforation/pancreatitis. Procedures and documentation followed in the UN Medevac missions are discussed and suggestions made for improving Cas/ Medevac procedures in field areas. A sample of Cas/Medevac incremental information form is also suggested. Conclusion: Timely evacuation of a casualty to an appropriate medical establishment can reduce mortality and morbidity significantly. Experience of Cas/Medevac missions in the UN field area is presented in this paper along with analysis and discussion on SOPs followed in the UN mission areas. Suggestions are made to refine and streamline our own Cas/Medevac procedures in field areas and theaters of conflict.

The participation of the Ukrainian Armed Forces in the peacekeeping operations

The main historical and contemporary participation of the Armed Forces of Ukraine in peacekeeping operations are described. The key notions of peacekeeping are defined showing this definition as the main rational tool for preventing and resolving disputes, threats, conflicts at the national, regional and global levels is the modern peacekeeping system. The main laws of Ukraine concerning peacekeeping operations are characterized with defining objectives for these operations.The attention is focused on the Ukraine’s participation in different international peacekeeping operations including 26 operations which ended and 8 ongoing operations. An important aspect of Ukraine’s participation in peacekeeping on the African continent is its coordinated actions with the United Nations on the diplomatic settlement of conflicts and the adherence to official statements regarding them.Peacekeeping missions are currently operating in Liberia, Congo, Sierra Leone, Sudan (Darfur and Juba) and other African countries. In particular, these are peacekeeping missions such as: the United Nations Mission in Liberia (UNMIL), the UN Mission in Côte d’Ivoire (ONUCI), the African Union – United Nations Operation in Darfur (UNAUMID), the UN peacekeeping operation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (MONUSCO), demilitarization and peacekeeping in the disputed area of Abyei (UNISFA), the UN Mission in the Republic of Southern Sudan (UNMISS), UN Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSCA).Ukrainian peacekeeping potential is analysed. Participation of the armed forces of Ukraine in peacekeeping operations of the United Nations is one of the priority foreign policy tasks of our state, successful implementation of which positively influences strengthening of the national authority of Ukraine, promotes development of cooperation with Euro-Atlantic and regional security structures and has an exceptional significance for the national interests of our country. Ukraine claims to be a full-fledged subject of international relations, increases its credibility and demonstrates a peaceful policy.

Ghana and the United Nations’ 1960s mission in the Congo: a Pan-African explanation

This paper examines Ghana’s engagement in the United Nations (UN) mission during the Congo political crisis in the 1960s. The paper examines competing rationales behind Ghana’s decision to contribute towards the UN operation in the Congo. Ghana’s participation, to date, has been primarily understood through the lens of anti-colonial sentiment, African solidarity and regional influence. This article argues that in addition to these explanations, more attention must be paid to the value attached to pan-Africanism and the post-independence political union agenda of President Kwame Nkrumah. The article demonstrates how for Nkrumah, an operation under the aegis of the UN would prevent the powers of the Cold War (the United States and the Soviet Union) from interfering with the right of independent self-determination within Congo affairs. The UN mission, I contend, was a window of opportunity for Nkrumah’s larger pan-African ambition. Although Nkrumah’s mission failed, the article argues for the normative value of Nkrumah’s pan-African vision of promoting a regional structure to unify the African states as an important reason for Ghana’s participation in the Congo operation.

Kosovo's social policy during self‐management, UNMIK and independence: Persisting high inequality and social exclusion

This study examined: (i) Kosovo's social policy's poverty and inequality outcomes in recent history, namely during Yugoslav self‐management socialism (1952–1989), the United Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) (1999–2008) and independence (2008 onwards), and (ii) the impact of local politics in the more recent trajectory of social policy. The study shows that the poverty rate after the war (1999) is significantly lower than it was during socialism, but that there is persistent high and deepening Gini inequality and social exclusion. Transfers and taxes of the residual‐liberal policy have reduced more pretransfer–pretax inequality, and especially poverty, compared with self‐management's insurance‐dominated socialism, but their effectiveness is declining due to the policy's underlying long‐term, pro‐market logic and its increasing particularism with respect to short‐term transfers. The article argues that the main local political cleavages have originated from self‐management socialism's extensive stratification. These cleavages matter in distributive conflicts, and they mattered also during the UNMIK period by easing the pathway for the unprecedented influence international organisations have had on policy formation.

Translation and interpretation in the United Nations Mission in Nepal

Translation and interpretation in the United Nations Mission in Nepal

THE ROLE OF WOMEN AS MEMBERS OF THE UNITED NATIONS SECURITY FORCES (Indonesian Women's Security Forces Recruitment Process)

International organizations are formed by an agreement in which three or more countries are parties, or also called intergovernmental organizations because their members are state. The state as a party to the international organization must accept the obligations arising from the agreement. Countries incorporated in an international organization usually have the same interests and goals. Even in some difficulties and to help progress the member countries of the international organization did not hesitate to provide assistance. International organizations such as the United Nations have the aim of maintaining international peace and security. The establishment of the United Nations (UN) was set against the concerns of mankind for international peace and security based on the experience of the First World War and the Second World War. Indonesia's commitment to participate in carrying out world order based on independence, lasting peace and social justice is the mandate of paragraph IV of the Opening of the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia. This commitment is always realized through Indonesia's active participation and contribution in the UN Mission of Maintenance and Peace. In the international context, participation is an important and concrete indicator of the role of a country in contributing to maintaining international peace and security.

A coordenação do trabalho da UNMISS e das agências humanitárias na mitigação da crise humana no Sudão do Sul1

Objetiva-se analisar o trabalho conjunto entre a Missão das Nações Unidas no Sudão do Sul (UNMISS) e as agências humanitárias, destacando os óbices logísticos. Foram utilizados, como metodologia, a revisão bibliográfica e a análise documental. Argumenta-se que a guerra civil, que eclodiu no Sudão do Sul no final de 2013, levou a UNMISS a criar os chamados Protection of Civilian sites (POC sites), que são campos de deslocados internos localizados, pela primeira vez na história da ONU, dentro das bases militares de uma missão de manutenção da paz. Esses campos, que possuíam condições precárias devido à restrição de espaço gerada pelo imenso afluxo de deslocados, necessitaram de considerável esforço logístico humanitário para suprir as demandas que cresciam vertiginosamente. Além disso, os POC sites demandaram elevado nível de cooperação e coordenação entre peacekeepers e diversos agentes humanitários, o que gerou lições que poderão ser utilizadas em missões de paz que passarem por crises semelhantes.

The Ebola virus disease outbreak in West Africa in 2014/2015: important data and political events

In 2014/2015 West Africa suffered an Ebola virus disease (EVD) outbreak of unprecedented unknown severity. The outbreak affected mostly Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea, and for the first time spread to major cities, some of which have international airports. Worldwide, 28,652 cases were registered, 11,325 of which were fatal. Afew cases were confirmed outside the main outbreak countries. Three EVD patients and one person with a needle-stick injury were evacuated to Germany and treated or kept under observation there. One of the patients died.In this article, the course of the outbreak and the international response are addressed. Epidemiological data and important political developments in connection with the EVD outbreak are summarized.The outbreak started in December 2013 in Guinea. It reached its peak from September to December 2014. On 8August 2014, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared apublic health emergency of international concern (PHEIC). The General Assembly of the United Nations (UN) established on 19September 2014 the UN Mission for Ebola Emergency Response (UNMEER). On the same day, the German government pledged more financial aid and other support, such as the establishment of an air bridge, the construction of treatment centres and training.Up until April 2016, there were repeated local outbreaks. On 29March 2016 WHO declared that the PHEIC had ended. On 28April 2016 the outbreak was finally over.

Efficacy of Lessons Learnt and Best Practices in United Nations Training


 
 
 The United Nations (UN) finds itself involved in varied circumstances in present times. This necessitates increased emphasis on evolution of employment doctrine, instructions and training methodology. Drawing on lessons of history has always been considered a wise course of action while preparing for future, and in the same vein, UN Integrated Training Service (UNITS) also opted to tap into past experiences. In order to improve performance as well as to keep their contingents out of harm’s way the member states started to clamor for sharing of lessons learnt from previous missions within the community of peacekeepers, and to learn from an easily accessible repository of best practices which produced the best results. This article aims to analyze the whole process of revamping at UN headquarters level with a view to coming up with workable solutions to make it even better. It argues that pre-induction training institutions have been kept largely out of the loop, while relying entirely on post-induction training. A section on Lessons Learnt and Best Practices is also markedly absent from latest Core Pre-Induction Training Material (CPTM) / Specialized Training Material (STM) issued by UNITS. With lack of prior training and pre-occupation with their primary functions in the mission area, dedicated implementation of the policy at best becomes questionable. The article further identifies that the UNITS has mostly remained limited to available analytical reviews of its past operations which in turn have remained limited in scope to strategic level. Despite identifying this peculiarity, no attempt has been made to constitute special committees to review past mission experiences broken into individual, tactical and operational lessons and best practices. This reflects on the need to carry thorough review of the latest policy, following which the UN would be able to quickly remedy the shortfalls and thus be in a position to take on new challenges in a befitting manner. In this vein, the paper aims to establish and emphasize the potential to learn from the available best practices in terms of UN missions.
 
 

The contribution of the United Nations police to the protection of civilians in South Sudan

O Sudão do Sul tornou-se um Estado independente em 2011, após uma longa guerra civil contra o Sudão. No mesmo ano, a Missão das Nações Unidas no Sudão do Sul (UNMISS) foi estabelecida para consolidar a paz, a segurança e o desenvolvimento. Em 2013, uma sangrenta guerra civil, que estourou e permanece até os dias atuais, mudou o país e a natureza da missão da Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU), a qual tornou-se mais robusta e passou a abrigar cerca de 200.000 pessoas em locais de proteção de civis (PoC sites). Neste violento e complexo cenário, a Polícia das Nações Unidas (UNPOL), que é um importante componente dentro da UNMISS, enfrenta um desafio substancial na proteção dos civis em todo o país. Desta forma, este artigo examina a performance da UNPOL como o mecanismo de imposição da lei dentro dos PoC sites e também como seu emprego tem contribuído para a proteção de civis no Sudão do Sul. Assim, após uma pesquisa bibliográfica, uma entrevista com um policial brasileiro veterano da UNPOL, e a análise da taxa de crimes dentro dos PoC sites, foi possível verificar que a UNPOL exerce um papel fundamental dentro da UNMISS, assegurando um ambiente seguro para os deslocados internos que se encontram sob a proteção direta da ONU.

Intervenções humanitárias e teoria crítica no Brasil: inibições e alternativas radicais ao paradigma da Paz Liberal

A baixa penetração no Brasil de teorias críticas ao intervencionismo humanitário reflete-se na escassez de trabalhos acadêmicos capazes de questionar frontalmente a Missão das Nações Unidas para Estabilização do Haiti (Minustah). Este artigo busca suprir parcialmente estas lacunas mediante a apresentação de ferramentas teóricas disponíveis alhures, em paralelo às observações feitas durante trabalho de campo no Haiti. O objetivo é romper as inibições quanto às objeções radicais à chamada Paz Liberal de modo a abrir caminho para uma teorização crítica brasileira que possa ir além daquela já disponível no mundo acadêmico anglo-saxão.Recebido em: setembro de 2019Aceito em: fevereiro de 2020

OP TRENTON 3: An analysis of primary care presentations to a deployed role 1 in support of a United Nation peacekeeping operation

ObjectivesHealth data of operational relevance from South Sudan are lacking, outdated and non-representative. This study sets out to record and analyse primary healthcare (PHC) presentations to a deployed UK Level...

Clinical activity at the UK military level 2 hospital in Bentiu, South Sudan during Op TRENTON from June to September 2017

IntroductionDiseases and non-battle injuries (DNBIs) are common on UK military deployments, but the collection and analysis of clinically useful data on these remain a challenge. Standard medical returns do not...

The Haiti Cholera Outbreak and Peacekeeping Paradoxes

In 2010, two Complex Humanitarian Emergencies (CHEs) befell Haiti: a devastating earthquake in January and in October, a cholera outbreak that continues to this day. This essay focuses on the latter and examines the paradoxical role of the United Nations Mission for the Stabilization of Haiti (MINUSTAH—now United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti—MINUJUSTH) in this tragedy, particularly, in a chain of events that call into question its peacekeeping mission.According to Barry Pakes, a Complex Humanitarian Emergency (CHE) is a “type of disaster event that is caused by and results in a complicated set of social, medical and often political circumstances, usually leading to great human suffering and death and requiring external assistance and aid.” CHEs are associated with a variety of factors, such as war, poverty, overpopulation, human-caused environmental destruction and change, and natural disasters. The United Nations (UN) considers a CHE to be a crisis involving multiple causes and requiring a broad and integrated response with long-term political and peacekeeping efforts.” The 2010 cholera outbreak in Haiti could be considered a CHE, according to this definition.

Towards prestige mobility? Diplomatic prestige and digital diplomacy

This article responds to previous efforts to calculate diplomatic prestige while adapting these methodologies to the exigencies of digital diplomacy. In particular, we are interested in how digital diplomacy provides opportunities for diplomatic actors lacking in material resources to overcome prestige deficits. We adapt approaches used in earlier studies to calculate the material and ideational components of diplomatic prestige to the online sphere—in terms of presence, centrality and perceptions. By analysing the twitter accounts of 67 foreign ministries and 33 United Nations missions, we find that the traditional markers of diplomatic prestige do not automatically translate online, and that significant effort is required to maintain prestige in online diplomatic networks. We also find that the flexibility and transience of online networks do allow diplomatic actors a degree of prestige mobility. Hence, this study is highly significant for understanding how prestige is managed and strategically influenced in digital diplomacy.