News & Insight | The Elders

Closing the justice gap for women: The Elders launch new policy paper

18 January 2022

The Elders have launched a policy paper on the imperative to close the justice gap for women and strengthen the rule of law.

Tutu’s global legacy of hope for peace, justice and human rights

10 January 2022

Mary Robinson remembers Arch's infectious enthusiasm and principled determination.

Remembering Arch; looking to COP27, welcoming small steps on nuclear weapons

Mary Robinson looks back on the past 12 months and remembers the importance of beginning the new year with hope.

The Elders welcome P5 statement on nuclear weapons and call for concrete action

The joint statement affirmed the Reagan-Gorbachev maxim that ‘a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought’.

Remembering Archbishop Desmond Tutu

We have compiled a selection of tributes from Arch's friends, colleagues and those inspired by his leadership.

Desmond Tutu: a life in pictures

Archbishop Desmond Tutu served as Chair of The Elders between 2007 and 2013.

The Elders mourn the loss of Archbishop Desmond Tutu

26 December 2021

The Elders are deeply saddened at the passing of their dear friend and colleague Archbishop Desmond Tutu. His passing follows a long and brave battle against cancer, which never dimmed his determination to fight against injustice in all its forms.

Grassroots organisations are essential to empowering the communities they serve

Frontline justice defenders Nazdeek explain why work like theirs must be urgently and flexibly funded during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Elders reflect on the responsibility of men to end gender-based violence

The Elders call for male leaders worldwide to champion gender equality and take urgent action to combat violence against women

Let us unite across generations to protect our planet

Mary Robinson challenges leaders to engage with young climate activists to build a more inclusive and sustainable future.

We must break the cycle of gender-based discrimination and inequality

As the 2020 comes to a close, it is important that leaders and citizens alike assert the values of solidarity and cooperation as the only way to overcome the pandemic and tackle future threats.

Access to justice for women must be a priority

Ban Ki-moon calls on leaders to increase access to justice for women, if governments are to deliver on their SDG promises.

Responding to the threat of gender-based violence in refugee settings

As The Elders mark the annual global campaign of 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, this photo essay provided by All We Can highlights some of the particular challenges faced by women in refugee camps.

Four areas of action to tackle the shadow pandemic of violence against women

The Elders’ Senior Policy Advisor on Access to Justice, Sabrina Mahtani, writes on concrete measures we need to take if we are serious about ending violence against women.

Gender-based violence and COVID-19: Why justice is essential to response and recovery plans

Stacey Cram from Namati outlines the intersection between access to justice, the pandemic and violence against women and girls.

16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

Focusing on increasing access to justice, The Elders join the annual global campaign to end violence against women and girls.

COVID-19 is a crossroads to a sustainable future

Ban Ki-moon calls for leadership and support from businesses, cities, regions, and investors to create a healthy, resilient, and zero-emissions future

The Elders express deep concern at failure to respect US democratic transition of power

The Elders today expressed deep concern about US President Donald Trump’s refusal to adhere to the protocols and processes governing the transition of power, as putting at risk the functioning of American democracy.

The Elders and The Carter Center in dialogue with Palestinian civil society and leaders

The Elders and The Carter Center jointly hosted a virtual consultation with “1948 Palestinian” civil society and thought leaders

The Elders hope for a sea-change in US engagement on global challenges

The Elders congratulate US President-elect Joe Biden and Vice President-elect Kamala Harris on their election victory.

Acordo histórico de Escazú agora pode entrar em vigor

O The Elders dá as boas-vindas à notícia de que, com a décima primeira ratificação do Acordo de Escazú pelo México, o histórico acordo regional sobre o meio-ambiente agora pode entrar em vigor em toda a América Latina e Caribe.

El emblemático Acuerdo de Escazú ya puede entrar en vigor

The Elders recibe con agrado la noticia de que, con la décimo primera ratificación del Acuerdo de Escazú por parte de México, el emblemático acuerdo regional ya puede entrar en vigor en América Latina y el Caribe.

Landmark Escazú Agreement can now enter into force

The Elders welcome the news that with the eleventh ratification of the Escazú Agreement by Mexico, the landmark regional agreement can now enter into force across Latin America and the Caribbean.

Rebuilding Zimbabwe requires dialogue, solidarity, inclusivity, transparency and accountability

Mary Robinson shares a message of solidarity on the occasion of the third National Citizens Convention in Zimbabwe.

What must be done to increase women's presence and agency in peace mediation?

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Ban Ki-moon and Graça Machel discuss the importance of leadership in promoting women's meaningul participation in peacebuilding processes at all levels.

On the eve of the US election, the Elders recall Mandela’s legacy

In the face of a devastating global pandemic and on the eve of a presidential election in the United States that will have worldwide ramifications, we once again draw strength from Madiba’s vision and legacy.

Justice is on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic

Ban Ki-moon condemns sustained attacks on democratic safeguards, human rights and the rule of law, and underscores the centrality of justice to building back better after the pandemic.

Why is women’s equal participation crucial in peace processes?

Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, Graça Machel and Lakhdar Brahimi reflect on how and why women's involvement in conflict mediation is vital for stable and inclusive peace-building.

Peacebuilding is at the heart of resolving our personal, institutional and societal grievances

In a guest blog for The Elders, Yasmine Ouirhrane discusses her experiences as a peace mediator highlights the obstacles young women face both from the diaspora and in the MENA region

Women in Mediation in the Arab World: Increasing the Chances of Peace

A policy note by The Elders based on a conference held in October 2020, co-hosted with Wilton Park

Build back better by building back equally

Hina Jilani calls on leaders to move from commitment to action on justice for women and girls.

The UK has a clear opportunity to demonstrate international climate leadership

In an open letter to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, The Elders call for greater climate leadership from the UK COP Presidency ahead of COP26. First published in The Times.

The Elders call for urgent action to address multilateral failings exposed by COVID-19

The Elders call on world leaders to urgently strengthen, defend, and realise the potential of the multilateral system, to end the current disarray in the global order.

The COVID-19 recovery must super-charge progress towards the 2030 Agenda

Mary Robinson underscores the importance of youth, peace and climate action in ensuring that the world “builds back better” after COVID-19

The Elders reflect on the 20 years since the UN 1325 Resolution on Women Peace and Security

As we mark the 20th anniversary of UN Resolution 1325, The Elders reflect on what women in conflict mediation means to them.

A new ‘Bretton Woods’ moment is key to building back better after COVID-19

Warning that COVID-19 has taken advantage of a world in disorder, Gro Harlem Brundtland calls for revival of multilateral cooperation to effectively tackle the key global challenges we face.

True solidarity with young people means ending the fossil fuel era

Imploring the world to "listen to the incontrovertible science", Mary Robinson calls for urgent climate action to build a sustainable, just and inclusive future. in a message of support at the 10th Annual Desmond Tutu International Peace Lecture.

The need for principled global leadership and cooperation has never been more important

As COVID-19 continues to hit our societies at great cost, the need for far-sighted, innovative and principled global leadership and cooperation has never been more important.

Securing our common future in the era of COVID-19: multilateral action is key

From the achievements of sustainable development and empowering women to the need for pandemic preparedness and investing in universal health coverage, Gro Harlem Brundtland discusses the power of multilateralism, in this interview with The ASEAN magazine

The Elders mourn the passing of Kuwait's Emir

The Elders' statement on the passing of Kuwaiti Emir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah

We cannot postpone climate action: major global announcements made on safeguarding the future

On 28 September, The Leaders’ Pledge for Nature launched virtually in New York: a commitment made by 64 world leaders to putting the climate crisis and preservation of nature at the heart of post-pandemic economic recovery plans.

The COVID-19 pandemic presents the UN with its biggest challenge yet

Ban Ki-moon warns that if we fail to respond to COVID-19 and other shared threats with a renewed sense of solidarity and collective action, we will have dishonoured the victims of the virus and betrayed the hopes that the UN’s founding generation had.

We must tackle carbon inequality to meet our Paris Agreement commitments

Ban Ki-moon warns that the global carbon budget is being rapidly depleted for the purpose of expanding the consumption of a tiny minority of people.

Every country must raise its political ambition to move towards zero pollution and full climate justice

Mary Robinson highlights that pollution is much more than carbon emissions and praises moves to develop a viable and sustainable post-pandemic recovery.

A Time for Renewal: Calling for a Strengthened Multilateral System

Mary Robinson, Ban Ki-moon, Hina Jilani, Ricardo Lagos, Graça Machel and Juan Manuel Santos join global leaders to call for decisive action to defend and rejuvenate multilateralism, in an open letter to Heads of Governments.

The impacts of crises are never gender-neutral and COVID-19 is no exception

Mary Robinson calls for women’s leadership at all levels to be at the core of the COVID-19 response if a roll back on women’s rights is to be prevented. Published in IPS News.

We must end fossil fuel use alongside a revolution in nature-based solutions to truly build back a safer and fairer world

Juan Manuel Santos warns that nature-based solutions and the protection of biodiversity are not a substitute for accelerating the phase-out of fossil fuels.

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