Tuesday, May 14, 2024
The Latest @ USIP: India’s Evolving Nuclear Posture Amid Regional Tensions
In the 25 years since it became a full nuclear power, India has expanded its nuclear arsenal as part of its playbook for handling a severe crisis with neighboring Pakistan or China. But with increased nuclear readiness comes the elevated risk that miscommunication between the region’s various nuclear states and armed actors could result in a nuclear escalation. The University at Albany’s Chris Clary, San José State University’s Karthika Sasikumar and the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Ashley Tellis discuss the biggest changes to India’s nuclear program, the most worrisome threats to nuclear peace in Southern Asia and how to boost strategic stability in the region.
The Latest @ USIP: Ukraine’s Desire to Join the EU and NATO
A growing number of Ukrainians have voiced their support for joining the EU and NATO amid Russia’s all-out war against their country. Given that Russian President Vladimir Putin’s stated territorial ambitions stretch beyond Ukraine, international support for a free and democratic Ukraine is not just a matter of charity — it’s an investment in collective values and security. USIP senior advisor and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch discusses Ukraine’s current bid to join the EU and how Ukrainian civil society has managed to mobilize against Russia’s assault on its sovereignty, society and culture.
The Latest @ USIP: NATO’s Strategic Adaptation to Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine
When Russia began its invasion of Ukraine, NATO was already in the early stages of drafting its 2022 Strategic Concept. The war quickly overshadowed other issues, and NATO quickly adapted its strategic vision to refocus on the alliance’s primary mission of deterrence and collective defense. Kurt Volker, former U.S. ambassador to NATO, discusses how solidarity with Ukraine has united NATO in a way that hasn’t been seen in a long time and examines the threat Russia’s expansionist mindset poses to NATO member states.
In Pakistan, Women Police Push for Gender Equality
In Pakistan, few institutions epitomize the connection between power and male dominance better than the police. Even after a decade of Pakistani government efforts to recruit more women in police departments, policing in Pakistan remains an overwhelmingly masculine profession — with women making up less than 3 percent of the country’s police force, despite quotas in place. And for the policewomen who do serve, institutional barriers and societal prejudices have made career progression an increasingly uphill battle.
The Latest @ USIP: Colombian Women’s Contribution to Peacebuilding
Women have been both victims and combatants throughout Colombia’s history of civil conflicts. But it wasn’t until recently that they were included as active negotiators in the peacebuilding process. Viviana Sarmiento, a Colombian political scientist and researcher, discusses how Colombian women contributed to the design and implementation of 2016 FARC peace accords, the opportunity to bring gender-inclusive perspectives into negotiations with other armed groups, and what Colombian women can teach others around the world about women’s inclusion in peacebuilding.
The Latest @ USIP: Why Women Are So Vital to Sustaining Peace and Security
On International Women’s Day, USIP spoke with senior U.S. government officials about women’s role in peace and national security. Lida Noory, the director for women, peace and security at the State Department’s Office of Global Women's Issues; Jennifer Hawkins, a senior women, peace and security advisor at USAID; Brooke Owens, a women, peace and security advisor working with the Department of Defense; and Brigadier General Maura Hennigan, the president of Marine Corps University, explain why the security of any nation is directly tied to the status and security of its women and how in conflict-torn countries, women’s meaningful participation in peace processes is vital to building and sustaining peace.
The Latest @ USIP: The Fight for Uyghur Women’s Human Rights in China
Uyghur journalist Gulchehra Hoja discusses the human rights situation for Uyghur women in the Xinjiang region of China, why authoritarian regimes feel threatened by women in particular, and how the global community can help by pressuring China to open the region to independent investigations and foreign journalists.
The Latest @ USIP: The Fight Against Gender-Based Violence in South Sudan
Women Building Peace Award finalist Nyachangkuoth Tai discusses ways South Sudanese women can be involved the electoral process — such as the constitutional requirement that women make up 35 percent of parliament — so that they have an equal hand in shaping the country’s future.
The Latest @ USIP: How Peace Games Can Help Congress
In an often volatile and complex geopolitical environment, U.S. leaders need to understand the full range of tools available to them when it comes to managing conflict. Former Rep. Steve Israel (D-NY), who now leads Cornell University’s Institute of Politics and Global Affairs, discusses how the partnership with USIP on congressional peace games gives members of Congress and their staff a chance to work through a simulated scenario in a way that doesn’t necessarily involve going to war and explains why bipartisanship is so important for promoting democracy, peace and stability abroad.
The Latest @ USIP: Libya’s Institutional Legitimacy Crisis
As Libya’s cease-fire continues to hold, the country can take the next step toward long-term stability by addressing its institutional legitimacy crisis. Without public trust in decision-making bodies, the country will struggle with crucial issues at the heart of the conflict, such as Libya’s vast oil wealth and how to distribute it. Democratically elected leadership is the best way forward — but elections remain elusive amid a political and military stalemate.