Publications by Erica Gaston

• Commentary 06 Mar 2017

  The Leahy Law and Human Rights Accountability in Afghanistan

  By Erica Gaston
  The Leahy Amendment, or Leahy law, is a little known piece of United States legislation that bans US assistance to units of foreign security forces where there is credible information that a member has committed gross violations of human rights. The Leahy law has accomplished far less than its…
• Study 01 Feb 2017

  Harmonizing Donor Reporting

  By Erica Gaston
  The World Humanitarian Summit set ambitious targets to maximize existing resources in critical situations, including harmonizing donor reporting. We analyzed existing processes to identify factors leading to reporting inefficiency and opportunities for harmonization.…
• Working paper 16 Jan 2017

  Literature Review of Local, Community or Sub-State Forces in Afghanistan

  By Erica Gaston
  Afghanistan’s history has long been dominated and shaped by the interaction of militias with the state. In the post-2001 era, international actors, sometimes with Afghan state cooperation, have tried to use militias to fill perceived gaps in security. Since 2002, a range of foreign-backed local,…
• Article 31 May 2016

  Rule of Law and Statebuilding in Afghanistan: Testing Theory with Practice

  By Erica Gaston, Erik Jensen
  Introduction Underfunded, underprioritized and underperforming, rule of law development has been a much-maligned part of the Afghan statebuilding exercise. Critics argue that rule of law efforts were not only poorly managed and implemented but also poorly conceived and designed, driven by…
• Commentary 18 Mar 2016

  Do the Strikes on al Shabaab Stretch the AUMF or the Unit Self-Defense Doctrine?

  By Erica Gaston
  Charlie Savage’s piece on the legal basis for the March 5 US strike against an al Shabaab training camp, which allegedly killed 150 fighters, raises the intriguing question of whether the Authorization for Use of Military Force (AUMF) has been stretched yet again, this time to justify US operations…
• Study 27 May 2015

  Addressing Land Conflict in Afghanistan

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 03 Mar 2015

  Prisons in Yemen

  By Erica Gaston
  A new report published by the United States Institute of Peace sheds some light on the inner failings of one of the most critical security institutions in Yemen: Yemeni prisons. Although Yemen is often in the headlines because of security crises or threats emanating from its territory, less is known…
• Commentary 23 Jan 2015

  Q&A: Yemen on the Edge of Fracture?

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 21 Jan 2015

  Justice and Security Dialogue in Yemen: Negotiating Local Sources of Conflict amid National Transition

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 07 Jul 2014

  Women’s Access to Justice in Afghanistan: Individual Versus Community Barriers to Justice

  By Erica Gaston
• Book 15 Apr 2014

  Media and Civil Society in 21st Century Conflict

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 07 Apr 2014

  Justice in Transition in Yemen

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 07 Apr 2014

  Dispute Resolution and Justice Provision in Yemen’s Transition

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 03 Feb 2014

  Process Lessons Learned in Yemen’s National Dialogue

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 08 Apr 2013

  Lessons Learned on Traditional Dispute Resolution in Afghanistan

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 08 Apr 2013

  Waiting for Change: The Impact of Transition on Local Justice and Security in Yemen

  By Erica Gaston
• Book 10 Sep 2012

  Ethics of 21st Century Military Conflict

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 19 Sep 2011

  The Cost of Kill/Capture: Impact of the Night Raid Surge on Afghan Civilians

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 07 Oct 2010

  The Trust Deficit: The Impact of Local Perceptions on Policy in Afghanistan

  By Erica Gaston
• Study 23 Feb 2010

  Strangers at the Door: Night Raids by International Forces Lose Hearts and Minds of Afghans

  By Erica Gaston