Our world has become more violent. Trends show that more countries are involved in conflicts and last year 180,000 people were killed in internal conflicts, a number 3.5 times higher than in 2010. The latest Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees statistics estimate that almost 60 million people are now either refugees or internally displaced because of conflict and violence, the highest number since the end of World War II.
In this context, the achievement of the ambitious new Sustainable Development Goals becomes even more important. Despite the many challenges, the pursuit of these goals is possible and provides crucial opportunities for peaceful conflict resolution.
Humanitarian diplomacy — which advocates on behalf of the needs of vulnerable populations, while upholding humanitarian principles — can open small windows of opportunity that can lead to peace, and at the very least dramatically improve the situation.
About the author
John Hewko
John Hewko is the general secretary of Rotary International and The Rotary Foundation. From 2004 to 2009, Hewko was vice president for operations and compact development for the Millennium Challenge Corporation, a U.S. government agency established in 2004 to deliver foreign assistance to the world’s poorest countries. At MCC, he was the principal U.S. negotiator for foreign assistance agreements to 26 countries in Africa, Asia, South America, the Middle East, and the former Soviet Union. As general secretary, Hewko leads a diverse staff of 800 at Rotary International’s world headquarters in Evanston, Illinois, USA, and seven international offices.
