what is sanctions

Sanctions are commercial and financial penalties applied by states or institutions against states, groups, or individuals in an attempt to get an actor to change its behavior through disruption in economic exchange. Sanctions can be intended to compel or deterrence. They can target an entire country or they can be more narrowly targeted at individuals or groups. Sanctions can be unilateral, imposed by a single country, or multilateral, involving a collective decision by multiple nations or international organizations. Sanctions can take many forms, including trade barriers, asset freezes, travel bans, arms embargoes, and restrictions on financial transactions. The efficacy of sanctions in achieving intended goals is the subject of debate. Since the mid-1990s, United Nations Security Council (UNSC) sanctions have tended to target individuals and entities, in contrast to the country-wide sanctions of earlier decades. The purpose of imposing sanctions on a country is to discourage or penalize certain actions or policies and encourage a change in behavior or compliance with specific demands set forth by the sanctioning entities.