The United Nations (UN) was established in 1945 following the atrocities of World War II, with a commitment to maintain global peace and security, foster friendly relations among nations, and collaborate to improve the lives of the most disadvantaged, while serving as a hub for achieving common goals.
Guernica of Pablo Picasso [1], UNSC entry (Vides, n.d.)
The Security Council (UNSC) is responsible for maintaining international peace and security within the UN. The council comprises 15 members: 5 permanent members with veto power (France, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, and Russia) and 10 non-permanent members serving two-year terms. The presidency rotates monthly. The UNSC held its first session in 1946.
War
It is defined as "the organized confrontation of armed human groups, with the purpose of controlling natural resources, imposing inequality, for religious or cultural reasons, maintaining or changing power relations, resolving economic or territorial disputes, or addressing the adverse effects of climate change” (Galban, 2007).
Wars are regulated by International Humanitarian Law (IHL), which is closely linked to the law of war or law of armed conflicts. IHL establishes legal norms to mitigate the effects of conflicts, protect those who do not participate in hostilities —such as the wounded and civilian populations— and restrict the use of certain methods and weapons. Within this framework, the law of war focuses on the rules applicable during hostilities, regulating the conduct of the parties involved. These regulations are based on the Geneva Conventions and customary international law, which define essential principles to ensure humanitarian protection in times of war (Fundación Ayuda en Acción, 2020).
Geneva Conventions: They originated in 1862 in Geneva, Switzerland, when Henri Dunant, founder of the International Committee of the Red Cross, published "A Memory of Solferino", a narrative about the horrors of war. These conventions, ratified by nearly all countries, have been updated several times, the last in 2005. Their fundamental purpose is to protect those who do not directly participate in conflicts, including wounded soldiers.
Customary International Law: It consists of norms based on generally accepted practices recognized as law and complements the rules of conventional law. Its relevance has grown in contemporary conflicts by filling gaps in conventional law and strengthening the protection of victims (International Committee of the Red Cross, 2010).
Serious violations of IHL, such as deliberate attacks on civilians, the use of prohibited weapons, or the destruction of essential infrastructure, are considered war crimes [2] (International Committee of the Red Cross, 2016). Along with torture [3], genocide [4], and crimes against humanity [5], they represent the most severe offenses under International Criminal Law (ICL), which mandates that states investigate and prosecute those responsible to ensure accountability and prevent impunity (Rome Statute, 1998). As a complementary mechanism to national jurisdictions, the International Criminal Court (ICC) —based in The Hague (Netherlands)— was established in 2002 under the Rome Statute to prosecute individuals accused of these crimes. It intervenes only when states are unable or unwilling to take action. A landmark decision was its first verdict in 2012 against Thomas Lubanga, leader of an armed group in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, convicted for the forced recruitment of child soldiers (Amnesty International, 2013).
Refugees
Wars vary in scale, stages, and execution, but their impact on civilians remains constant. Many flee seeking refuge to save their lives and those of their loved ones.
Forced displacement during war creates a rupture in refugees' lives, as they lose their homes, livelihoods, and life plans. Many suffer from disorders such as (Oxfam Intermón):
Anxiety: Due to the prolonged fear and risk they experience, preventing them from thinking calmly and clearly.
Depression: Caused by material and human losses and the end of their life projects, affecting their morale and will to continue.
Insecurity and distrust: They act with suspicion towards everything around them, as war conditions them to live in fear, posing a major obstacle to rebuilding their lives.
Uprootedness: Living far from their place of origin is a pain that lasts many years, and when it is due to war, the pain of being forced intensifies.
It is important to distinguish between a refugee and a migrant: according to the UN, a refugee is someone fleeing their country due to fear of persecution, conflict, or widespread violence, while a migrant is a person who moves for more than a year for any reason (United Nations, Refugees and Migrants).
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, began operations in 1951. Its mission is to ensure that "all people have the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another state, with the possibility of eventually returning home, integrating, or resettling." This helps meet fundamental needs such as access to adequate housing, food, clean water, and other inherent rights that should be guaranteed in their home countries but are limited by conflicts like war and violence (Edwards, 2016).
According to UNHCR, since the beginning of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, 4.5 million people have fled Ukraine, mainly women and children (UNHCR, 2022; SWI swissinfo.ch, 2022).
The 2030 agenda for sustainable development
The 2030 Agenda, promoting 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), is centered on the principle of "leaving no one behind", recognizing human dignity in all circumstances. The UN emphasizes that "there can be no development without peace, nor peace without development", which is essential to achieving the SDGs.
Suforall - SDG 16, ODD 16, ODS 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions
SDGs Specifically Addressing War and Refugees:
SDG 8 – Decent Work and Economic Growth, Target 8.7 Slavery, Trafficking, and Child Labor: Includes prohibiting and eliminating the recruitment of child soldiers.
SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities, Target 10.7 Migration and Migration Policies: Facilitate orderly, safe, regular, and responsible migration and mobility of people, including through the implementation of well-planned and well-managed migration policies.
SDG 16 – Peace, Justice, and Strong Institutions, Target 16.3 Rule of Law and Access to Justice: Promote the rule of law at the national and international levels and ensure equal access to justice for all.
War and the SDGs – Targets 8.7, 10.7, and 16.3
Us
Wars devastate people, communities, economies, and environments. They destroy infrastructure, erode social fabric, and weaken psychological resilience—the ability to overcome trauma.
In facing such atrocities, solidarity is vital: “the value that drives collaboration among individuals to overcome disasters like wars, pandemics, and crises.”
What Can We Do?
Support humanitarian organizations: Contribute through donations, volunteering, or campaigns to assist war victims and refugees.
Raise awareness and educate: Share verified information on the effects of war, participate in awareness campaigns, and promote peace education in your environment.
Welcome and support refugees: Engage in programs that assist refugees, whether by providing temporary housing, emotional support, or community integration.
Promote responsible consumption: Avoid products that finance conflicts and support sustainable initiatives that reduce the environmental impacts of wars.
Participate in advocacy campaigns: Sign petitions, contact your political representatives, and join movements promoting peace and protecting human rights.
Organize solidarity events: Create community activities such as concerts, workshops, or fundraisers to support conflict victims.
Foster intercultural dialogue and peace daily: Build bridges between cultures, promote respect, empathy, and peaceful conflict resolution in everyday life.
You can do more...
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[1] Guernica - Pablo Picasso, United Nations: This is a reproduction, approved by the artist, of a tapestry depicting the artwork that Pablo Picasso created in 1937, inspired by news of the German bombing of the town of Guernica in the Basque Country (Spain). The piece expresses resistance against barbarity and the terror of war. It is displayed at the entrance of the United Nations Security Council.
[2] War crimes: Crimes that violate the rules of war, as defined by IHL (International Humanitarian Law) and the ICC (International Criminal Court), such as attacks against the civilian population, murder, torture, or ill-treatment of all actors and non-actors, including prisoners of war (Amnesty International, n.d.).
[3] Torture: The intentional destruction of one human being by another. The methods used to inflict great pain and suffering vary, but they all have the same objective: to break the victim, destroy them as a person, and deny their humanity (World Organisation Against Torture, n.d.).
[4] Genocide: Acts committed with the intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group (Amnesty International, n.d.).
[5] Crimes against humanity: Crimes committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack directed against the civilian population within the framework of a state or organizational policy in times of peace or war; these include enforced disappearances, murders, enslavement, and deportation or forced transfer of population (Amnesty International, n.d.).
Bibliographic References
UNHCR. (10/04/2022). Ukraine Emergency. Retrieved from https://www.acnur.org/emergencia-en-ucrania.html
Amnesty International. (n.d.). Armed Conflict. Retrieved from https://www.amnesty.org/es/what-we-do/armed-conflict/
United Nations General Assembly. (21/10/2015). Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from https://unctad.org/system/files/official-document/ares70d1_es.pdf
International Committee of the Red Cross. (29/10/2010). Customary International Humanitarian Law. Retrieved from https://www.icrc.org/es/doc/war-and-law/treaties-customary-law/customary-law/overview-customary-law.htm
Ayuda en Acción Foundation. (08/01/2020). Ongoing Wars and Armed Conflicts in 2020. Retrieved from https://ayudaenaccion.org/blog/ayuda-humanitaria/conflictos-belicos-vigentes-2020/#:~:text=Son%20muchas%20las%20causas%20que,efectos%20adversos%20del%20cambio%20clim%C3%A1tico
Galbán, L. Y. (2007). War as a Catastrophe: Its Psychological Consequences. Retrieved from SciELO - Scientific Electronic Library Online: http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1727-81202007000300005#:~:text=En%20lo%20social%20la%20guerra,autoestima%2C%20de%20los%20atributos%20humanos
United Nations, Refugees and Migrants. (n.d.). Definitions. Retrieved from https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/es/definitions
Oxfam Intermón. (n.d.). Consequences of War on Refugees' Lives. Retrieved from https://blog.oxfamintermon.org/consecuencias-de-la-guerra-en-la-vida-de-los-refugiados-y-refugiadas/
SWI swissinfo.ch. (15/03/2022). IOM: The War in Ukraine Has Led to the Displacement of 3 Million Refugees. Retrieved from Swissinfo: https://www.swissinfo.ch/spa/ucrania-guerra_oim--la-guerra-en-ucrania-ha-provocado-la-salida-de-3-millones-de-refugiados/47433598
Vides, S. (n.d.). https://twitter.com/silvia_vides
World Organisation Against Torture. (n.d.). What is Torture? Retrieved from https://www.omct.org/es/quienes-somos/que-es-la-tortura

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