The human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize laureate, Tawakkol Karman, has called for a review of the UN's decision-making mechanisms, pointing out that the peoples of the Arab Spring countries have lost confidence in the UN,

the UN Security Council and other UN judicial institutions, such as the International Court and the International Criminal Court.

In an address to the British House of Lords, Karman today stated that despots and corrupt rulers continue their hobby of plundering wealth and violating public rights and liberties under the eyes of the world. 

“Despite these atrocities, no one is thinking of curbing the tyrants and those committing massacres against their peoples,” she said, adding that these autocratic governments “are met with tolerance even by the United Nations, the UN Security Council and the European Union.” 

She also pointed out that the restoration of confidence in these international institutions is dependent on ensuring their effectiveness and overcoming all shortcomings and causes.

“In this context, the United Nation’s decision-making mechanisms must be reviewed because they are based on consensus between great powers rather than on humanitarian principles and standards, and this makes the United Nations lose the ability to maintain world peace, protect human rights and fight against corruption,” she continued. 

The Nobel laureate indicated that humanity has accomplished a long series of humanitarian charters, treaties and agreements, hinting that these achievements in general are like a cheque with no balance.

She saw the failure of governments and regimes in the Middle East has contributed to destabilizing social peace and creating and fueling sectarian, regional and tribal conflicts, stressing that there is a near-constant state of frustration among citizens as a result of the loss of confidence in the ruling regimes at all levels. 

Karman emphasized that the need to have elected leaders, competent institutions that are based on principles of good governance, and modern systems and legislation. 

Mrs. Karman affirmed that the rise of counter-revolutions with the support of regional and international powers resulted in crushing all the gains done after they were able to change the course of the Arab Spring revolutions. 

“As a result, the sense of frustration has reappeared, and there has been a significant decline in levels of confidence in the existing authorities and the media, which have once again come to mislead people,” she concluded.