Tip of the iceberg? The importance of accountability during armed conflicts in light of the attacks on WCK aid workers

by Lisa Zadrozny Stausholm

This Thursday at the STAM debate panel coorganized with Stand Up For Europe, Marta Barandiy said something that resonated with me in light of this week’s deadly attack in Gaza on World Central Kitchen (WCK) humanitarian workers. She urged : “it is crucial that we do not take for granted our human rights, that we protect them and promote our European values all across the world. The same way young European citizens don’t remember a life without Europe, our future children may not remember a life where human rights are respected.” A violent reminder that societies can very quickly slide into inequality, injustice and abuse of power, undermining the dignity and well-being of all, echoed loudly with the deaths of seven World Central Kitchen Aid Workers and the rise of Gaza civilian casualties. It is crucial that these attacks now act as an electrochoc that puts an end to the worldwide climate of lack of accountability that has been settling in for a couple of decades. Acknowledging and safeguarding human rights starts by holding accountable institutions, armies and countries who violate them.

Saudi Arabia chosen to hold the presidency of the CSW, the UN commission for Women’s Rights.

By Miguel Suárez 

The United Nations (UN) has long been regarded as a beacon of hope for advancing gender equality and women's rights worldwide. One of the organizations surveilling concretely the matter of Women’s rights around the world is the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW), which is part of the United Nations Economic and Social Council, one of the most important organisms within the UN. 

The CSW, apart from their daily activities, organizes an annual forum in which they negotiate and publish a report on the development of gender equality in the world. The controversy arose when Saudi Arabia was chosen as the rotatory president of the Commission and as the host country for the forum 2025.

Apart from the several NGOs and international organizations that have questioned the decision during this week, a great wave of critics has emerged from the civil society, especially on social media. These critics are sustained on the continuous reports of violations both of the Human Rights and the Rights of the Women in the country. Along this article, the current situation of the Rights in the country and the possible reasons behind this decision by the Committee will be explored and discussed, in order to unveil the ethical and moral implications of this decision.

Binding the Youth Vote: Belgium's Mandatory Shift in EU Election Participation

By Katarina Stanojevic

Belgium, as a Member State of the EU, has also been at the forefront of discussions surrounding the voting age and electoral participation. In 2022, Belgium enacted a law that expanded voting rights to include Belgian citizens and other EU nationals residing in Belgium, aged between 16 and 18, in European elections (Mańko, 2023). This legislative change marked a significant departure from the previous voting age requirement and aimed to empower younger citizens to participate in the democratic process. Currently, the Court has suspended a provision in the law (see ruling nr. 35/2024), which makes voting mandatory solely for adults and not for 16- and 17-year-olds. This ruling means that voting will now be compulsory for individuals aged 16 and 17, with the possibility of sanctions for non-compliance. However, the implementation of this law has faced legal challenges and ongoing debates regarding mandatory voting and associated sanctions.

The 2024 Russian Presidential "Election": A Gangster's Seizure of Power

Vladimir Putin submitting documents to Central Election Commission in December 2023. Photo: Presidential Administration of the Russian Federation

By Mariia Orudzhova

The three-day electoral exercise – [the 2024 Russian presidential ‘election’, that was held from 15 to 17 March] - is over. And this article will cover why it was illigimate from the very beginning to the very end.

Let's remember about the legal framework of what was going on in Russia in 2020 - the constitutional changes were taking place. The constitution of the Russian Federation was changed - the word 'consecutive' in: ‘limit to 2 consecutive terms’, - was destroyed. The amendment allowed Putin to run for the presidency in 2024 again by nullifying his terms. Preservation of power is the main purpose and raison d'être of any autocracy.

Green Claims Directive: Battling Greenwashing for a Sustainable Future

by Lisa Zadrozny Stausholm

During this Tuesday’s plenary session, 12th March 2024, the Green Claims Directive (GCD) proposed by the Commission in March of 2023 passed. This initiative echoes the objectives of the European Green Deal looking to transform Europe into a circular economy, which means managing resources efficiently, conserving energy and reducing waste, thus benefiting both the economy and the environment. In practical terms, this deal legally requires all EU Member States to reduce Europe’s emissions by a minimum of 55% by 2030.

But what is the GDC and why is it needed? How does it hold companies engaging in greenwashing accountable? And how will small businesses be impacted?

The EU construction of corruption deconstruction: Anti-Money laundering authority (AMLA)

By Katarina Stanojevic

The proposal made on July 20, 2021 by the European Commission to establish the European Union Anti-Money Laundering Authority (AMLA) marks a crucial stride in addressing the escalating threats of money laundering and terrorism financing in Europe. This initiative is a top priority for the European Union (EU) in combating organized and serious international crime. AMLA is a pivotal component of the comprehensive action plan introduced in 2020 to curb these criminal activities

Challenges and Demands: Understanding the Farmers' Protests Shaping Europe's Agricultural Landscape

By Miguel Suárez

As almost every EU citizen knows already, European farmers have stood up against the situation of injustice they live in, as a result of some decisions taken by the European Institutions. Protests have been taking place on the continent since at least 2019; however, since February 1st 2024, they have intensified notably, especially in Brussels, where the headquarters of most of the government apparatuses of the Union are concentrated. But it is worth mentioning that they are taking place in practically all countries of the old continent.

This week has seen a new episode of protests in the Belgian capital, as a consequence of the summit of EU agriculture ministers that took place on Monday, February 26th, and based on its result, it does not look like they are going to be the last ones.

We will try to address this broad topic in the best way possible, but let’s take this from the beginning: What are the demands of the farmers? What injustices are we talking about? How long will this wave of protests last? Is there any satisfactory solution in the short term? These questions, and some others that will emerge, will be the ones we will try to answer in this article.