Towards global justice in the 21st century?

This research paper examines developments in international justice and the effort to end the 'culture of impunity' where international actors violate fundamental norms without punishment. It specifically focuses on the creation of specialized criminal tribunals to prosecute violations of international humanitarian law in Sierra Leone, Cambodia, and East Timor.

• The paper identifies the abolition of a 'culture of impunity'—which allows international actors to ignore fundamental norms without fear of punishment—as potentially the greatest challenge for humanity in the 21st century. This culture is evidenced by atrocities that occurred in Rwanda and Yugoslavia, persisting despite efforts from the UN, NGOs, and civil society.
• The document focuses on the momentum behind establishing specialized criminal tribunals to prosecute individuals accused of violating international humanitarian law in three specific locations: Sierra Leone, Cambodia, and East Timor.

APA

Rakate, P. K. (n.d.). Towards global justice in the 21st century? Institute for Security Studies. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/towards-global-justice-in-the-21st-century

Chicago

Rakate, Phenyo Keiseng. Towards global justice in the 21st century? Institute for Security Studies, n.d. https://issafrica.org/research/papers/towards-global-justice-in-the-21st-century.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Rakate |first1=Phenyo Keiseng |title=Towards global justice in the 21st century? |publisher=Institute for Security Studies |url=https://issafrica.org/research/papers/towards-global-justice-in-the-21st-century |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{rakatendtowards, author = {Rakate, Phenyo Keiseng}, title = {{Towards global justice in the 21st century?}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.org/research/papers/towards-global-justice-in-the-21st-century}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }