Kechikhanim Khalilova, wife of jailed activist Famil Khalilov, in her home on the outskirts of Baku. (Geneva Solutions)

In Cop29’s shadows, disabled activist’s detention decried as ‘worst’ case of Azerbaijani repression. A disabled critic of the government in Baku extends his hunger strike in protest of detention conditions and wrongful charges. Famil Khalilov’s wife tells Geneva Solutions about his long campaign for justice.

⚖️ Climate action in the court. Historic hearings kick off today at the International Court of Justice to examine governments’ obligations to protect current and future generations from climate change. Over 100 countries and organisations will deliver arguments till 13 December. The hearings, which will deliver non-binding advisory opinions expected in 2025, result from years of campaigning by the Pacific island state of Vanuatu and youth groups.

⛑️A precarious humanitarian outlook. The United Nations’ Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, led by its new boss Tom Fletcher, a diplomat and a former principal at Oxford University’s Hertford college, will present its annual overview of humanitarian trends on Wednesday, as well as how many billions of dollars are needed to respond to the world’s multiplying crises. In 2024, only 43.4 per cent of the $49.6bn that was called for to meet humanitarian needs was raised.

📌 3 December | Trading migration? How states and the European Union use trade agreements as instruments of migration policy. In this series of talks aimed at bringing together a variety of disciplines on the topic of migration, Sandra Lavenex, a professor of international relations at the University of Geneva and a member of a German expert committee advising the government on international migration, will discuss the role of trade agreements.

📌 5 December | Redefining multilateralism in a new geopolitical era. This full day conference, featuring representatives from permanent missions in Geneva including India, Switzerland, China and the UK, will focus on challenges facing multilateral diplomacy in different institutional settings as well as potential innovations in governance and negotiation strategies to address them.