Open Society Foundations
@OpenSociety

We work to build vibrant and inclusive democracies whose governments are accountable to their people. Community guidelines: osf.to/CG

 Worldwide
opensocietyfoundations.org
Joined January 2008
4,514 Photos and videos
Seven months into the U.S. war on Iran, fighting has widened and the consequences have spread far beyond Iran’s borders. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, rising insecurity in the Red Sea, and pressure on energy markets are felt in the Gulf, Lebanon, Syria, and the Horn of Africa.
The expanding consequences of the U.S. war on Iran

ALT The expanding consequences of the U.S. war on Iran

As the U.S. war on Iran enters its seventh month, the consequences have extended well beyond the immediate conflict. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, rising insecurity in the Red Sea, and pressure on energy markets are felt by people in the Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and throughout the world.

ALT As the U.S. war on Iran enters its seventh month, the consequences have extended well beyond the immediate conflict. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz, rising insecurity in the Red Sea, and pressure on energy markets are felt by people in the Gulf, the Horn of Africa, and throughout the world.

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Violence in the Black Sea restricting grain exports and a strengthening El Niño are further compounding food insecurity in already vulnerable communities. In response, a new multilateral system is emerging with the rising influence of an expanding group of middle powers, including ones in the Gulf and Africa, who are advancing new approaches to security. Discussions at UNGA 81 called on the international community to address the war’s compounding shocks and repercussions.
Violence in the Black Sea restricting grain exports and a strengthening El Niño are further compounding food insecurity and economic turmoil in already vulnerable communities.

ALT Violence in the Black Sea restricting grain exports and a strengthening El Niño are further compounding food insecurity and economic turmoil in already vulnerable communities.

“In order to produce food, you need a good climate, good weather, and good soil. You also need inputs like fertilizer. You also need energy. And that's where the geopolitical situation starts to put more and more sand in the gears. People are having to make more choices and sometimes choices that will impact their health meaning that a one-time crisis can have many consequences.” David Laborde, Director of Agrifood Economics Division, FAO

ALT “In order to produce food, you need a good climate, good weather, and good soil. You also need inputs like fertilizer. You also need energy. And that's where the geopolitical situation starts to put more and more sand in the gears. People are having to make more choices and sometimes choices that will impact their health meaning that a one-time crisis can have many consequences.” David Laborde, Director of Agrifood Economics Division, FAO

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Open Society Foundations retweeted
Binaifer Nowrojee
@NowrojeeOSF
Sep 23
I gathered with local leaders and peace builders from Kenya, the Netherlands, Mexico, Colombia, and Spain to talk about local multilateralism for peace and safety. At Open Society, we hold a simple conviction: security that is not built on human rights is not security at all. Lasting peace cannot be designed from above and delivered to people. It has to be built with them.
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More than 1,500 academics and economists from over 100 countries support an International Panel on Inequality, saying in a joint letter, “Extreme concentrations of income and wealth translate into undemocratic concentrations of power, unravelling trust in our societies and polarizing our politics.”
Jayati Ghosh@Jayati1609
Sep 18
Global leaders urged to join initiative to fight extreme inequality theguardian.com/inequality/2…
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Too often, the human rights movement has preferred rights in the negative: no to torture, no to censorship, no to detention without trial. But there must also be an affirmation of something positive—a vision of what could be. As global decisionmakers gather in New York for UNGA 81, Open Society hosted events exploring new ideas and perspectives on the opportunity to reimagine the future of human rights.
The future of human rights must be rooted in dignity

ALT The future of human rights must be rooted in dignity

Too often, the human rights movement has preferred rights in the negative: no to torture, no to censorship, no to detention without trial. These are fundamental refusals. But there must also be an affirmation of something positive—a vision of what could be.

ALT Too often, the human rights movement has preferred rights in the negative: no to torture, no to censorship, no to detention without trial. These are fundamental refusals. But there must also be an affirmation of something positive—a vision of what could be.

We must connect human rights to inclusive development and shared prosperity so that every person can lead a life with dignity where they don’t just survive—but thrive.

ALT We must connect human rights to inclusive development and shared prosperity so that every person can lead a life with dignity where they don’t just survive—but thrive.

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It isn’t about weakening universal protections already secured in law, but about enriching them and rebalancing the scales for future generations. Economic, social, and environmental rights need to be placed alongside civil and political rights—they are conditions that make freedoms real. The future of human rights must be rooted in dignity, freedom, and opportunity for all.
Reimagining human rights requires rebalancing the scales: placing economic, social, and environmental rights alongside civil and political rights, not beneath them. Land, work, food, care—these are not secondary to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. They are the conditions that make freedoms real.

ALT Reimagining human rights requires rebalancing the scales: placing economic, social, and environmental rights alongside civil and political rights, not beneath them. Land, work, food, care—these are not secondary to freedom of expression, association, and assembly. They are the conditions that make freedoms real.

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Open Society Foundations retweeted
Open Society-Africa@OpenSocietyAfr
Sep 23
Earlier this year in March, the UN adopted a landmark resolution declaring the trafficking of enslaved Africans “the gravest crime against humanity.”
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The current multilateral world order has struggled against the double standards of great powers, who have stripped multilateral institutions of their influence, shaped the rules to their advantage, and follow them only when it suits. Today at UNGA 81, Open Society hosted conversations with municipal government officials, civil society and philanthropy leaders, policymakers, and more to tackle some of the central questions facing the international system. A new model of multilateralism is emerging as new coalitions of middle powers and countries of the Global South come together around demands for shared prosperity and sovereignty. Discussions focused on exercising their leadership in regional security, international financial reform, and rights reform, and advancing local models of peace, public safety, and reconstruction shaped by communities.
What comes next for multilateralism

ALT What comes next for multilateralism

The current multilateral world order has struggled against the double standards of great powers, who have stripped multilateral institutions of their influence, shaped the rules to their advantage, and follow them only when it suits.

ALT The current multilateral world order has struggled against the double standards of great powers, who have stripped multilateral institutions of their influence, shaped the rules to their advantage, and follow them only when it suits.

A new model of multilateralism is emerging as new constellations of states, civil society, and social movements come together around demands for shared prosperity and sovereignty.

ALT A new model of multilateralism is emerging as new constellations of states, civil society, and social movements come together around demands for shared prosperity and sovereignty.

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A multilateral system built on minimal states has left governments with little room to respond to people’s needs; when states are able to deliver at home, they have more of a voice abroad. We’re working to support a shift in multilateral systems from instruments of fiscal discipline and constraints on public policy to enablers of a more just, equitable, and prosperous future for all.
“People think that mathematics or music are the universal languages. But the universal language is the language spoken by civil servants who have to deal with everyday life, challenges, which are very similar.” Felip Roca, Director of International Relations, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona-District 11 District 11 is an initiative led by the Barcelona City Council aimed at strengthening and effectively directing cooperation with Palestinian cities

ALT “People think that mathematics or music are the universal languages. But the universal language is the language spoken by civil servants who have to deal with everyday life, challenges, which are very similar.” Felip Roca, Director of International Relations, Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona-District 11 District 11 is an initiative led by the Barcelona City Council aimed at strengthening and effectively directing cooperation with Palestinian cities

Redistributing care means also redistributing power and responsibility.” Bandana Rana, Expert Member, CEDAW Committee

ALT Redistributing care means also redistributing power and responsibility.” Bandana Rana, Expert Member, CEDAW Committee

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Open Society Foundations retweeted
Open Society Justice Initiative@OSFJustice
Sep 21
A Norwegian court has allowed a lawsuit we’re supporting against Telenor to proceed as a class action. It seeks damages over the sharing of sensitive user data with Myanmar’s military. justiceinitiative.org/litiga…

Justice and Accountability Initiative v. Telenor ASA

The Justice Initiative is advising plaintiffs and partners to hold telecommunications giant Telenor to account for sharing customer data with the Myanmar military in the wake of the 2021 coup,...

justiceinitiative.org
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Can tech workers take on the oligarchs? In 2022, after Elon Musk bought Twitter, tech workers turned union organizers JS Tan and Clarissa Redwine @clarissaredwine made a failed attempt to unionize the company’s workers. “It wasn’t just an attack, but a celebration of dominance,” shares Redwine, describing how Musk turned Twitter into a stage to discipline his workforce. The organizers’ new book, Against Tech Oligarchy, describes what went wrong in that campaign and what tech workers can learn from it. With AI already serving as a pretext for mass layoffs, Tan and Redwine argue tech workers can’t afford to defer a confrontation with their bosses any longer.
Can Tech Workers Take on the Oligarchs?

ALT Can Tech Workers Take on the Oligarchs?

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Read more: opensocietyfoundations.org/v…

Can Tech Workers Take on the Oligarchs?

Why strikes are difficult in tech, and how tech workers can find their leverage.

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The Open Society Foundations are concerned that the Kenyan government’s commitment to the rule of law is under question after it disregarded a court order and denied entry this week to Brian Kagoro, Open Society’s managing director for Africa. Kenya’s High Court issued an order in June that directed the authorities to permit Kagoro to travel to the country. Kagoro was set to attend proceedings in a case regarding his deportation from Kenya in February. The court’s order made clear that he was to be allowed entry pending the outcome of the case. The decision to bar Kagoro from entering Kenya prevents him from being able to exercise his legal rights to meet his lawyers and attend any proceedings related to his case. The High Court has directed the Attorney General to explain why Kagoro was denied entry.
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Open Society Justice Initiative@OSFJustice
Sep 17
Oct 8: Join the first in an online discussion series tracing the human rights movement’s past, present, and future. Aslı Ü Bâli, Gay J. McDougall, Aryeh Neier, @AgnesCallamard, and our James A. Goldston explore the origins of modern human rights. RSVP: osf.to/TracingModernHumanRig…
Session 1 The Past: The Origin of Human Rights. Where Did Modern Human Rights Come From? What Went Right? What Went Wrong? What has been the trajectory of the human rights movement over the past three decades, and how can we apply those lessons as we look into the future? Thursday, October 8, 2026 12 noon–1:30 pm EDT Livestream Moderated by James A. Goldston, Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative Panelists include: Aslı Ü. Bâli, Professor, Yale Law School Gay J. McDougall, Former Vice Chair, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Former UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities (2005–2011) Aryeh Neier, President Emeritus, Open Society Foundations; Co-Founder and Former Executive Director, Human Rights Watch Agnès Callamard, General Secretary, Amnesty International RSVP at osf.to/TracingModernHumanRights Session 2 will follow on November 19, and Session 3 will follow on December 14. Details forthcoming.

ALT Session 1 The Past: The Origin of Human Rights. Where Did Modern Human Rights Come From? What Went Right? What Went Wrong? What has been the trajectory of the human rights movement over the past three decades, and how can we apply those lessons as we look into the future? Thursday, October 8, 2026 12 noon–1:30 pm EDT Livestream Moderated by James A. Goldston, Executive Director, Open Society Justice Initiative Panelists include: Aslı Ü. Bâli, Professor, Yale Law School Gay J. McDougall, Former Vice Chair, UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination; Former UN Special Rapporteur on Minorities (2005–2011) Aryeh Neier, President Emeritus, Open Society Foundations; Co-Founder and Former Executive Director, Human Rights Watch Agnès Callamard, General Secretary, Amnesty International RSVP at osf.to/TracingModernHumanRights Session 2 will follow on November 19, and Session 3 will follow on December 14. Details forthcoming.
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UNGA 81 presents an opportunity to bring forward new ideas and perspectives for a changing world. The norms and institutions that once bound our multilateral world order are fraying. But a new multilateralism is emerging, a constellation of states, civil society, and social movements coming together around demands for shared prosperity and sovereignty. The unraveling of the rules-based world order has also meant that traditional human rights advocacy approaches have become far less useful.
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But approaches closer to the ground are rising in influence, including regional protection systems such as Latin America and the Caribbean’s Escazú Agreement, the first treaty anywhere to include provisions protecting environmental defenders. These changes present an opportunity to reinforce public ownership of human rights and reimagine them to meet the moment. It’s time to build a multilateralism that reflects the realities of the new world order but remains grounded in dignity, equity, and opportunity for all. Read more from our vice president of programs Pedro Abramovay (@pedroabramovay): osf.to/4xy67hU
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These changes present an opportunity to reinforce public ownership of human rights and reimagine them to meet the moment. It’s time to build a multilateralism that reflects the realities of the new world order but remains grounded in dignity, equity, and opportunity for all.
The future of human rights must reach beyond traditional framing and be rooted in dignity, equity, and opportunity for all.

ALT The future of human rights must reach beyond traditional framing and be rooted in dignity, equity, and opportunity for all.

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Read more from our vice president of programs Pedro Abramovay (@pedroabramovay): osf.to/4xy67hU

Who Gets to Build the Next World Order?

As one model of multilateralism unravels, a more equal one may be taking its place. Open Society’s Pedro Abramovay on the aspiration for a new multilateralism grounded in sovereignty and rooted in...

opensocietyfoundations.org
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Open Society Foundations retweeted
Open Society Justice Initiative@OSFJustice
Sep 14
We welcome a significant development in our case before France’s Conseil d’État: France and the UK are joining 10 other countries in banning imports from Israeli settlements in the West Bank, a measure sought by five partners in their ongoing litigation: justiceinitiative.org/litiga…

Rights Groups Sue France Over Failure to Prevent Corporate Support for Israel’s Occupation in...

Human rights organizations file a legal challenge before France’s highest court, seeking for the government to adopt measures to prevent French corporate and financial actors from contributing to...

justiceinitiative.org
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