When Alice Wairimu Nderitu wrote a paper in 2022 about being careful with the word "genocide," she probably didn't expect it would cost her her job.
But that's exactly what appears to have happened at the United Nations, where the renowned genocide expert's contract wasn't renewed – a move that's shocked many diplomats.
Nderitu warned against throwing around heavy terms like "genocide" without meeting strict legal criteria.
Her paper, which drew from decades of expertise, laid out clear examples of actual genocides: the Holocaust, Rwanda, and Bosnia. It was this kind of precise, careful thinking that apparently put her at odds with political pressures within the UN.
The Wall Street Journal broke the story today (Tuesday), pointing out that while the UN is calling this a simple case of contract expiration, these positions are typically renewed without fuss.
The timing has left many wondering: what's really going on here?
Another thing that is particularly noteworthy about this case is Nderitu's reputation. She isn't just any UN official – she's spent years studying genocide prevention and human rights, building a career on careful, thoughtful analysis of some of history's darkest moments.
But even more than that, this isn't just about one expert losing her position – it's about whether we want our international institutions to tell us what we want to hear or what we need to know. Can experts call it like they see it, or do they need to play political ball?
Alice Nedritu discovered the answer to that question the hard way.
JPost contributed to this article.