Through sustained feminist advocacy, the ECOWAS Court reframed female genital mutilation as torture and compelled Sierra Leone to legislate against it — setting a regional precedent for women’s rights protection in Africa.

A potential U.S. force posture reduction in Europe will leave the continent vulnerable to further Russian aggression. Europe needs a bold action plan to mitigate capability gaps and ensure deterrence of Russia with limited U.S. involvement.

The 2025 European Forum Alpbach featured a discussion hosted by the Global Unit for Human Security (hbs) on Europe’s relationship with the question of Palestine. This article offers an overview of the key themes and points discussed.