The Open Society Institute hosts a discussion with Manfred Nowak, the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture and other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment. Nowak’s mandate has covered a broad range of human rights concerns, from Guantanamo and rendition to the institutionalization of people with disabilities.
In his five and a half years as Special Rapporteur, Nowak has issued reports on 17 countries, including China, Jamaica, Equatorial Guinea and Kazakhstan. Such reports have detailed not only the use of torture but also the often horrific conditions found in prisons and detention facilities in these countries. Nowak's discussion of his work will be followed by a question and answer period.
Read more
WAR IS OVER?
How the United States Fueled a Global Drug War, and Why It Must End
As U.S. domestic drug policy reform gains momentum, it is time the United States makes a concerted effort to de-escalate the failed war on drugs elsewhere.
Solidarity against Hatred
A History of Anti-Asian Hate in the United States
The Atlanta-area shooting was just the latest instance of rising violence against people of Asian descent. We need to understand its roots—and the intersecting factors at work—to stop hate’s spread.
A Just Recovery
How to Ensure a Truly Global Recovery
The Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz explains how policymakers on the international level can make sure that the post-pandemic recovery doesn't make economic injustice even worse.