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.