Causes and cures XI: International law approaches

The past several years have been a landmark moment for violence prevention, with renewed attention on the part of many international agencies, but especially the United Nations, with its adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. The latter invites the world community to collaborate in an inclusive, long-ranging vision for the future, highlighting our interdependence and collective responsibility for humanity's future. A growing awareness that preventing violence does not just reduce death and disability but promotes creativity, economic growth, and general well-being is at the heart of this "movement". An integration not only of the major disciplines but of various practical approaches is timely, and for this to occur, we require a broader overview of our existing societal structures. In this context, the remainder of this fifteen article series modeled after a Global Health Studies course entitled, "Violence: Causes and Cures," will review the mechanisms that society has used in an attempt to stem violence. This article, the eleventh of the series, will briefly cover the history, successes, and challenges of international law. The attempt to internationally arbitrate fields such as human rights, war crimes, international security, the regulation of armed conflict, etc., marks the start of a global effort to reduce violence. A commonly accepted and fair legal forum based on universally agreed upon precedents, international customs and conventions, and effective enforcement would allow for constructive implementation. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.