Stories written by Louis Charbonneau

In Praise of Competitive UN Elections

By Louis Charbonneau
Next month’s United Nations Security Council elections show why competition is important. UN votes for seats on important bodies like the Security Council and Human Rights Council often make a mockery of the word “election.” They typically have little or no competition, ensuring victory for even the least-qualified candidates.

China and Russia Fail to Defund UN Human Rights Work

By Louis Charbonneau
United Nations member states agreed to fully fund UN human rights mechanisms that China, Russia, and their allies had sought to defund in the 2023 budget. This should set a precedent for UN human rights funding in the future.

UN Chief Should Lead by Example on Human Rights

By Louis Charbonneau
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has long needed to overhaul his approach to human rights. Hopefully his call to action announced in Geneva yesterday is the start of something new.