Detailed Case Studies

• Operation Unified Protector

  The official name of the NATO operation in Libya
• The Libyan Civil War and the government's actions such as stifling political dissent, surveillance, imprisonment, torture, and extrajudicial killings of political opponents prompted the NATO intervention in Libya
• Arab Spring

  The international movement that influenced the Libyan Civil War
• UNSC resolutions 1970 and 1973 were the UN Security Council resolutions under which the NATO operation in Libya was conducted
• UNSC Resolution 1973

  1. Called for an immediate ceasefire in Libya

  2. Imposed a no-fly zone to prevent Gaddafi's forces from carrying out air attacks

  3. Authorized all necessary measures to protect civilians
• Countries that significantly participated in NATO's Operation Unified Protector

  • US
  • UK
  • France
  • Canada
  • Italy
  • Qatar
  • Sweden
  • UAE
• Objectives of NATO's intervention in Libya

  • To neutralize Gaddafi's capabilities to harm civilians
  • To support humanitarian aid delivery
  • To enforce an arms embargo
• Operation Unified Protector officially ended, after the death of Gaddafi and the establishment of the National Transitional Council (TNC)

  October 31, 2011
• The key international law concepts that justified the NATO intervention in Libya

  Jus Ad Bellum, Just Cause, Legitimate Authority, Last Resort, Probability of Success, and Responsibility to Protect (R2P)
• NATO aimed to comply with the principle of Jus in Bello during the intervention by directing attacks largely at military personnel and minimizing civilian casualties, though there were criticisms regarding civilian deaths
• Criticisms of the humanitarian impact of NATO's intervention in Libya included significant civilian casualties estimated between 15,000 to 30,000, destruction of large amounts of infrastructure, and enhancing the military capabilities of militias, which later threatened the new government's stability
• Long-term challenges Libya faced after NATO's intervention included a lack of political stability due to the absence of a robust government, extreme poverty resulting from the war, and ongoing threats to stability from armed militias
• Serial offendersIn Uganda

  Under the May 2023 anti-homosexuality act in Uganda, they face the death penalty
• Aggravated homosexuality


  Includes having same-sex relations with a person with a disability, a child, or someone of advanced age, among others
• Promotion of homosexuality

  Criminalized under the May 2023 anti-homosexuality act in Uganda
• The anti-homosexuality act has resulted in worsening social attitudes towards the LGBT community, active discrimination, extrajudicial killings, and assaults in Uganda
• There have been 180 house evictions and 176 incidents of torture and cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment, including forced anal examinations of people held in police custody under the enforcement of this law
• The US imposed visa restrictions on hundreds of Ugandan legislators and their families over their involvement in enacting the anti-homosexuality law
• Christianity is the main religion in Uganda, comprising 84% of the population, which may influence the widespread support for the anti-homosexuality legislation
• The colonial legacy and lingering effects of cultural imperialism contribute to the current hostile attitudes toward homosexuality in Uganda
• Key human rights violations associated with Uganda's anti-homosexuality act

  • Torture
  • Discrimination
  • Lack of freedom of thought
• Cultural relativism

  Can be cited to justify the anti-homosexuality laws based on the cultural context of Uganda and the predominant values upheld by its majority
• While cultural relativism supports the notion that the cultural context can help uphold the pillars of democracy, the extensive human rights abuses and safety issues arising from the anti-homosexuality act demonstrate the limits of cultural relativism when it compromises basic human rights and safety to a severe extent
• The OECD was established


  1961
• OECD headquarters

  Located in France
• In 1960, 20 countries ratified the convention on economic cooperation and development
• Since its OECD's establishment, 18 additional countries have become members
• Some OECD member countries

  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Belgium
  • Canada
  • Chile
  • Colombia
  • Costa Rica
  • Denmark
  • Finland
  • France
  • Germany
  • Greece
  • Hungary
  • Ireland
  • Iceland
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Korea
  • Luxembourg
  • New Zealand
  • UK
  • US
• BEPS Project

  Stands for Base Erosion and Profit Shifting, aims to combat tax avoidance strategies that shift profits to low or no-tax locations, leading to reforms in international tax laws
• Development Assistance Committee


  Promotes development cooperation and other policies to contribute to sustainable development, is a multilateral organization where entities like the World Bank, UNDP, IMF, and the world's biggest donors can donate and give assistance
• ENVIRONET

  Focuses on integrating environmental issues into sustainable development efforts, has supported aid initiatives in Chad including humanitarian relief, food assistance, and funding for relief programs
• Aid for Trade initiative

  Helps developing countries build their trade capacity by improving infrastructure, such as building roads and ports, and improvising institutions to meet trade standards, notably helping landlocked countries like Laos and Burkina Faso
• Positive aspects of OECD's work

  • Evidence-based policy recommendations
  • Standard-setting that increases fairness (e.g., in anti-bribery, environmental management, and corporate governance)
  • Highly funded
  • Multipolar power structure that is not concentrated in one country, which enhances its policy influence
• Criticisms/negative aspects of OECD

  • Membership limitations as it mainly includes only high-income countries
  • Potentially not representing the interests of less economically developed countries (LEDCs)
  • Possible infringement on national sovereignty as its policies may not always align with public interest
  • Excessive focus on economic issues over social and environmental perspectives
• The IMF began operations

  1945
• As of 2023, the IMF has 190 member countries
• Primary purpose of the IMF

  To ensure the stability of the international monetary system
• Special Drawing Rights (SDR)

  • An international reserve asset created by the IMF to supplement countries' official reserves
  • Includes the USD, Euro, Chinese Yuan, Japanese Yen, and British pound sterling
• Main sources of funding for the IMF

  • Member quotas
  • Multilateral and bilateral borrowing agreements
• Poverty Reduction and Growth Trust (PRGT)

  • Provides concessional lending to the world's poorest countries and has policies aimed at poverty reduction and growth enhancement
  • For example, it provided PRGT-supported loans to Rwanda to support economic stabilization and recovery efforts