Around the world, more than 600 million young people live in fragile and conflict-affected contexts today. Despite being deeply affected by violence in a myriad of ways, young people’s voices are not sufficiently heard in the processes of conflict resolution and peacebuilding. The active role young people play as peacemakers, mediators and peacebuilders at grassroots and local levels are under-acknowledged. Beyond peacebuilding, young people display ownership, agency and leadership in diverse areas that are of significance to local, regional, national and international peace and security, ranging from climate change to tackling inequalities. Yet, the achievements of young people are hindered due to the absence of adequate recognition, protection, funding and meaningful partnerships. Developed as a result of a youth-driven advocacy process, the Youth, Peace and Security (YPS) agenda of the United Nations for the first time recognises “the important and positive contribution of youth in efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security” (UNSC Resolution 2250). It is within this context that our research investigates the role of youth as agents of peace, exploring a range of interconnected issues including peacebuilding, justice, development, humanitarianism, migration, conflict and security, and human rights with a youth-participatory and multidisciplinary approach.  PROJECTS…

National Development Banks and development finance are increasing their role in channelling Official Development Aid in the Global South. The report is the outcome of a year-long research on the Belgian Investment Company for Development Countries (BIO), its governance structure, its relationship with Belgian and non-Belgian stakeholders, its investments (in agri-food and energy transition) and the processes behind accountability.  The authors of the report are ​Tomaso Ferrando (University of Antwerp) ​Giedre Jokubauskaite (University of Glasgow) ​David Rossati (Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam) ​Koen de Feyter (University of Antwerp) The study evaluates the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO) in the context of sustainable and human rights-based pathways for international development.  The authors examine BIO’s legal framework in conjunction to its business model, environmental and social (E&S) policies, accountability, as well as its investment portfolio in agri-food and energy/climate change. As the first in-depth analysis of this kind on BIO, the research relies on data shared on its portfolio and internal policies, as well as interviews with BIO and its stakeholders in Belgium and the Global South. BIO generates benefits, development impact and E&S awareness across a wide variety of countries and sectors.

This new research project within GCILS aims to identify, map, and analyse developments in litigation that are emerging in response to government measures taken to combat the coronavirus pandemic. The British Government is already facing legal challenges contesting the legality of the lockdown measures that it has taken in response to the ongoing global health crisis. Simon Dolan, CEO of Jota Aviation, has hired a legal team to mount an action for judicial review of the Government’s policies arguing that the lockdown in the UK was ‘both legally defective and disproportionate in law’.[i] While much of the ‘action’ and focus has been on actions by domestic actors, there is a need to understand the international law obligations of governments and to what extent measures are compliant with these. Governments may be restricted in their suite of potential measures by these international law obligations and may find some of their measures are vulnerable to challenge. Hogan Lovells, an American-British law firm, has produced a ‘global guide’ to ‘governmental, regulatory, and other legal responses’ to the coronavirus pandemic.[ii] The guide offers the firm’s clients an analysis of the legal issues arising with government restrictions and their ‘impacts…