The concept of human security has taken on new relevance in national security circles today, but adequately addressing it remains the challenge. Violent conflicts in places like Ukraine and Gaza, disproportionately impact civilians who bear the brunt of war. Globally, nearly 90% of casualties are civilians, rather than combatants. Violent conflict is often protracted and cyclical, causing harm that accumulates over time, destroys entire cities and civilian infrastructure, and causes recurrent injustices and deep trauma to communities and entire societies. War and violent conflicts are further exacerbated by other threats, like climate change, epidemics, and political violence, impacting the security and rights of ordinary people around the world in unprecedented ways.
At the same time, policymakers recognize that finding ways to uphold the freedom and dignity of people at home and around the world is the essential underpinning for prosperous, resilient, and stable societies, stronger and more reliable economic and security partnerships, and a just and peaceful world order.
At the Center, we are dedicated to finding and implementing innovative, cross-sectoral solutions to human security, justice, and conflict problems.
Featured Course: Victim Centered-Justice
This seminar will look at the next generation of international justice and provide Georgetown law students the opportunity to consider how decision-makers can set justice priorities so that victims caught amidst conflict and mass atrocities are not an afterthought, but are placed at the center.
Projects
The result of more than 5 years of work by more than a dozen top legal scholars, The Virginia-Georgetown Manual is intended to reflect an objective assessment of the existing law (lex lata) of the jus ad bellum, with the hope that it can serve as a ready and valuable reference for government officials, both civilian and military, as well as for academics.
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The Atrocity Response Coalition (ARC) for Justice is a global consortium of victim-centered, evidence-based, trauma-informed organizations working together for healing and transformative justice for survivors and communities affected by atrocities. As a founding member of ARC, CNS is partnering with preeminent global organizations and networks from different sectors and disciplines to holistically respond to violent conflict and atrocity crimes.
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Project
Cumulative Civilian Harm
Conflict harms civilians in unthinkable ways. Around the globe, conflicts are unfolding in Gaza, Sudan, Ukraine, and elsewhere, taking an immense toll on civilian populations. Over time, conflict kills and maims individuals, results in significant psychological and social harm, causes infrastructure to decay and collapse, and is often associated with a high incidence of sexual violence, among many other harms.
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Project
AI-Enabled Weapons & Ethics
Meaningful progress on regulating and assuring the safety of AI-enabled weapons should begin with an appreciation that a weapon that relies on AI has a complex lifecycle comprising the operation of two systems. The first system culminates in fielding a weapon – that is, making it available to the military for potential use. The goal of this system is to deliver a weapon that is capable of being used ethically within the anticipated conditions under which a weapon will be deployed.
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People
Other Focus Areas
National Security Norms, Institutions, and Emerging Issues
Helping to shape the future of global security and governance.
National Security & Technology
The risks and opportunities at the intersection of national security law and emerging technologies.