BY J.J. MESSNER DE LATOUR, HANNAH BLYTH, AND MARLENE WAFLER* Innovative local-level mechanisms for fostering implementation of good practices in the field of business, security and human rights exist in many contexts and are linked to different policy frameworks. This Guide provides good practices and insights to support the development and successful implementation of local […]
Category Archives: J.J. Messner
From Commitment to Impact: A Guide for Local Working Groups on Business, Security & Human Rights
- 04 June 2020
Fragile States Index 2020
- 11 May 2020
BY FUND FOR PEACE The Fragile States Index, produced by The Fund for Peace, is a critical tool in highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure. By highlighting pertinent issues in weak and failing states, The […]
There is No COVID-19 Here
- 10 May 2020
BY J.J. MESSNER DE LATOUR As many countries continue to suffer thousands of deaths and millions experience social isolation and economic hardship due to the COVID-19 crisis, the 2020 Fragile States Index (FSI) will not provide any data or analysis of how the crisis is affecting the social, economic, and political fortunes of the 178 […]
Exit from Brexit: U.K. Continues Rapid Fall
- 10 May 2020
BY J.J. MESSNER DE LATOUR AND FIONA GRATHWOHL Brexit. In many ways, it would be easy to sum up the fortunes of the United Kingdom over the last five years with this one widely known portmanteau that has not only been the catchphrase for Britain’s exit from the European Union, but has also become a […]
Ten Countries to Watch for in Fragile States Index 2020
- 23 December 2019
BY J.J. MESSNER AND CHARLES FIERTZ After 15 years of producing the Fragile States Index (FSI), we are frequently asked about how predictive of a tool it really is. So, to what extent can the FSI signal emerging crisis, as opposed to merely diagnosing current conditions? Though prediction is inevitably bound by probability and uncertainty, […]
Responsible Business Practices and the Role of Divestiture
- 01 September 2019
BY DR. JONATHAN DUCHAC, J.J. MESSNER, AND JOHANNA BEDUHN Public comment is now open. We invite all relevant stakeholders to provide feedback using the form below. Divestiture is a highly visible tool for social activism. The origins of modern divestiture trace back to the South African anti-apartheid movement of the late 20th century, where activists […]
Human Rights and Business Roundtable Annual Report 2018
- 11 April 2019
BY THE FUND FOR PEACE The mission of The Human Rights & Business Roundtable is to promote the rule of law and open societies. Launched in 1996, the Roundtable was the first forum designed for multinational businesses and mainstream human rights organizations to discuss issues of common concern in an atmosphere of mutual respect, trust, […]
Fragile States Index 2019
- 10 April 2019
BY FUND FOR PEACE The Fragile States Index, produced by The Fund for Peace, is a critical tool in highlighting not only the normal pressures that all states experience, but also in identifying when those pressures are pushing a state towards the brink of failure. By highlighting pertinent issues in weak and failing states, The […]
Always Look on the Bright Side
- 06 April 2019
BY J.J. MESSNER According to the famed philosopher, Eric Idle, one should always look on the bright side of life. “If life seems jolly rotten,” Mr. Idle would have us know, “There’s something you’ve forgotten.”1 From the perspective of the Fragile States Index (FSI), when the constant stream of the 24-hour news cycle peddles continual […]
Africa’s Islands of Stability
- 06 April 2019
BY J.J. MESSNER “Mauritius was made first and then heaven … and heaven was copied after Mauritius.” So said Mark Twain in 1896 at a time when the small Indian Ocean island nation was under British rule (after having previously changed hands from the Portuguese, to the Dutch, and then to the French). At a time […]