Research Briefing
Sources of International Social Statistics
International sources of social statistics. By Kathryn Keith. SN/SG/3140.
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Research Briefing
Ethiopia in the run-up to May 2010 elections
The 2005 federal and regional elections in Ethiopia produced a major political crisis. Now the electoral wheel has turned and observers are waiting to see whether the May 2010 elections will be less turbulent. This note provides a brief historical and social survey of Ethiopia. It then looks at the political situation in Ethiopia since 2005. It concludes with a short update on the state of the Eritrea-Ethiopia border dispute.
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Research Briefing
Crime and Security Bill. Bill 3 2009-10.
The Bill would amend the law governing the taking, retention and destruction of fingerprints and DNA data from persons arrested for, charged with or convicted of criminal offences. It would reduce the requirements on the police to record information following a stop and search. It would introduce new 'go' orders for suspected perpetrators of domestic violence, which could mean excluding them from their homes in order to protect the victim. The Bill would also, in effect, extend new injunctions for gang-related violence to 14-18 year olds, and require courts to issue a Parenting Order where a child under 16 had breached an Anti-social Behaviour Order. It would require wheel clamping companies to be licensed, and create a new offence of possessing an authorised mobile phone in a prison. It also creates a new offence of preventing a person under 18 from gaining unauthorised access to air weapons.
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Research Briefing
Human Trafficking: international responses
This note examines international responses to human trafficking, including an overview of relevant treaties from organisations such as the UN, the International Labour Organization and the Council of Europe.
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Research Briefing
War and peace in Sri Lanka
This paper provides a brief historical and social survey of Sri Lanka, including the origins of the conflict between the Sri Lankan Government and the LTTE. It then gives an account of developments since 2002, when a ceasefire was agreed and hopes were raised – rapidly to be dashed – that there might be a peaceful negotiated resolution of the conflict. The paper also surveys the stance taken by the international community on the conflict, the military capabilities of the Sri Lankan military, and aid and development issues. It concludes by considering Sri Lanka’s future prospects, including assessing how real the Government’s military victory is and whether genuine political and constitutional reforms are likely to be introduced.
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Research Briefing
Russia and the West
A year on from Dmitry Medvedev’s succession to the Kremlin, this paper analyses the evolution of Russian foreign policy under both Putin and Medvedev. It seeks to identify the main themes, interests, and objectives of Russian foreign policy, and to appraise the role of President Medvedev in the direction of Russian diplomacy and his relationship with Prime Minister Putin. In so doing, it examines, in detail, Russia’s relationship with the United States, NATO, the EU, and the UK and analyses the role of energy in relations between Russia and the West. Finally, it looks ahead at the prospects for the relationship in light of President Obama’s declared intention to press the “reset” button in US-Russian relations.
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Research Briefing
The International Criminal Court: Current Cases and Contemporary Debates
This note is intended to offer a brief overview of the current work of the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the contemporary debates which surround it.
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Research Briefing
Photographing the police
There have recently been a number of concerns expressed about the ability of the public and press to take photographs of the police. The issue has been highlighted by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ) and British Press Photographers' Association (BPPA), following the introduction of certain provisions contained in the Counter-Terrorism Act 2008.
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Research Briefing
In brief: Camp Ashraf and the Geneva Conventions
Camp Ashraf in Northern Iraq houses members of the People Mujahedin of Iran. These people were regarded as 'protected persons' under the Fourth Geneva Convention when Ashraf was under US control. On 1 January 2009 control of Ashraf passed fom the US to the Iraqi Government, and concerns have been raised about how its inhabitants will be treated.
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Research Briefing
Tibet
The 50th anniversary of the Tibetan uprising was commemorated on 10 March 2009. This Note provides brief background for Members and their staff. It is neither comprehensive nor exhaustive.
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Research Briefing
Geneva Conventions and United Nations Personnel (Protocols) Bill [HL] (Bill 69 of 2008-09)
This short Bill is intended to amend two UK Acts to enable the Government to ratify two international agreements protecting military medical personnel and humanitarian workers. In line with the protocols, the Bill would firstly sanction and protect the ‘red crystal’ as a new symbol to protect humanitarian personnel in armed conflict instead of (or in addition to) the existing red cross or red crescent; and secondly extend the definition of protected UN workers to include those delivering humanitarian, political or development assistance in peacebuilding operations and those delivering emergency humanitarian protection.
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Research Briefing
Sexual and gender-based violence: global trends and perspectives
This Note is intended as an introduction to some key trends and perspectives on sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) around the world.
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Research Briefing
Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) between the EU & African, Caribbean & Pacific countries
The European Union and African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) countries have been renegotiating their relationship. A series of interim Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs) were signed with a number of ACP countries towards the end of 2007, as well as a more comprehensive EPA with the Caribbean ACPs. This note updates with recent developments, and outlines some of the criticisms there have been of EPAs and the negotiations.
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Research Briefing
Background to Proposals for a British Bill of Rights
The three major political parties have all recently proposed that the UK should adopt a 'British Bill of Rights' of some kind. This paper outlines these proposals and sets them in context.
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