The north star of democratic progress is the centering of humanitarian norms – the idea that all countries, regardless of history or geography, are held to the same standard, either by their own internal mechanisms or by international conventions.
This accountability, in a rapidly shifting multipolar world with conflict triggered by old divisions and new threats, is one of the defining foreign policy challenges of our time.
Across multiple conflicts, principles that once formed the backbone of the international system – protection of civilians, respect for humanitarian access, treatment of prisoners, and accountability for atrocities – are under increasing strain.
These standards were crafted in the aftermath of World War II, a conflict marked by some of the most grievous crimes against humanity in history. Post-conflict, the United States and its allies built a framework rooted in the belief that, even in heat of war, there must be limits. The Geneva Conventions, refugee protections, international humanitarian law, and the establishment of major multilateral postwar institutions reflected not only the lessons learned from catastrophic violence, but a vision of a better version of humanity.
We have not always lived up to these norms that we, ourselves, were instrumental in creating. But even though it has been imperfect, the blueprint established an expectation that civilians shouldn’t be deliberately targeted and that nations share responsibility for protecting basic human dignity.
Today, there is an opportunity to recommit to this vision.
From Sudan to Ukraine to Burma, humanitarian organizations report increasing attacks on civilians, aid workers, medical facilities, journalists and critical infrastructure. The United Nations has documented a sharp rise in the killing of humanitarian personnel, making aid delivery one of the world’s most dangerous professions.
Displacement has reached catastrophic levels, destabilizing entire regions. According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, more than 120 million people worldwide are currently displaced by conflict, the highest number ever recorded. Siege tactics against civilian populations, propaganda campaigns, obstruction of food and medicine, attacks on energy infrastructure in the dead of winter and attacks on hospitals increasingly occur with limited condemnation.
Much of this erosion of norms reflects current geopolitical realignment. Multilateral institutions rarely reach consensus when strategic interests collide, paralyzing responses at the U.N. Security Council. Regional actors, prioritizing their own national gains, remain silent.
Technology has also shifted the landscape – surveillance and nefarious information operations shape conflicts in ways international law simply cannot address.
While social media and citizen journalists can expose atrocities in real time, state and nonstate actors also can flood audiences with conspiracy theories and false narratives, culminating in sheer political exhaustion and disengagement. The relentless pummeling of point-counterpoint information can contribute to moral numbness and disengagement from action.
We can, however, do more.
People around the world continue to defend humanitarian norms every day. In Sudan, doctors operate underground hospitals. Journalists document war crimes. International investigators continue collecting evidence for future prosecutions.
Refugee support organizations, faith-based groups, and local volunteers work every day providing food, water, shelter, healthcare, and education for communities long after the headlines fade. And even amid deep polarization, democratic societies still debate these issues openly, reflecting a fundamental commitment to accountability.
The United States should lead, reestablishing and reemphasizing humanitarian norms. The U.S. core values of accountability and compassion and our commitment to moral responsibility can guide our policy. American leadership is effective when we pair our own national interest with moral clarity.
First, the United States should recommit to humanitarian diplomacy as a strategic priority. Humanitarian access, civilian protection, sustainable and prioritized assistance, and refugee support should be integrated national security priorities across conflicts and alliances. This includes sustained, but accountable, funding for international humanitarian organizations and stronger coordination with democratic partners.
Secondly, Washington should strengthen accountability mechanisms for war crimes and mass atrocities, including a renewed commitment to tools like the Global Magnitsky Act, which provides the mechanism for the U.S. to sanction foreign officials for gross human rights violations, such as torture or extrajudicial killings, and significant acts of corruption, including bribery and embezzlement. Tangible support for international investigations, sanctions targeting perpetrators, and evidence preservation efforts as well as high-level and highly visible efforts such as First Lady Melania Trump’s work in facilitating the return of Ukrainian children abducted by Russia, sends an important message that violations of international law are not without cost.
Finally, the United States should continue our traditional investment in the foundations of democratic resilience: independent journalism, educational exchanges, civil society partnerships and people-to-people engagement. Humanitarian norms survive not only because governments endorse them, but because citizens believe they are worth defending. American exchange programs, educational institutions, and civic partnerships have historically built durable relationships rooted in openness and shared humanity. These investments are never in the headlines but are the absolute bricks in the cultural foundations that create international cooperation.
There are reasons for optimism. The postwar humanitarian system has endured previous periods of cynicism and violence: It proved resilient during the tensions of the Cold War, genocide in the Balkans and Rwanda, decades of nonstate actors’ terrorism and widespread regional instability. The current moment provides clarity and a window for action.
Around the world, millions of people still believe that civilian lives matter and that nations should uphold principles larger than themselves. The challenge for the United States at this moment is not whether it can solve every crisis, but whether we will continue leading with the confidence that American values remain relevant in an increasingly fractured world.
