The undersigned organizations and individuals — with representation from multiple geographic regions — express our support for a global convention on crimes against humanity, and urge states to utilize the 2024 April Resumed Session of the UN’s Sixth Committee to express strong support for a procedure to be adopted at the 79th Session of the UN General Assembly to move the Draft Articles on Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity forward to negotiations for a treaty.
Throughout history, millions of people have been subjected to murder, extermination, enslavement, deportation, persecution, and other atrocities that have shocked the conscience of humanity. Crimes against humanity continue unabated across the globe and the Draft Articles provide a timely and urgent opportunity for states to help end impunity.
Although crimes against humanity are among the most serious crimes in international law, there has yet to be a treaty regulating their prevention and punishment. A treaty on crimes against humanity would close a crucial gap in the current international framework on mass atrocities as well as clarifying states’ duties to prevent such crimes and means to cooperate with each other. A crimes against humanity treaty can also rightfully contribute to global affirmation of the gravity of these crimes.
In 2013, the UN’s International Law Commission approved crimes against humanity to be included in its programme of work. The Commission, in 2019, recommended the elaboration of a convention by the UN General Assembly or by an international conference.
In 2022, the UN’s Sixth Committee adopted resolution 77/249 to take forward steps for a treaty on crimes against humanity, including two interactive sessions in 2023 and 2024 on the Draft Articles, and a plan to take a decision on the ILC’s recommendation that a treaty go forward in the 79th session of the General Assembly.
We believe the International Law Commission’s Draft Articles represent a strong starting point to open negotiations on a treaty. There is broad agreement that the Draft Articles contain a number of positive elements, and differences in perspectives on the existing Draft Articles should not be used to perpetuate inaction. Accordingly, we urge states to follow the Commission’s recommendation that a treaty on crimes against humanity should be negotiated, either by the General Assembly itself or in a Diplomatic Conference convened for that purpose.
Our organizations also urge states at the April resumed session to identify important areas for further strengthening the Draft Articles. A variety of civil society groups have developed proposals toward this end. These include strengthening the proposed treaty by a variety of means.
We urge states at the April resumed session also to express overall support for an approach to the development of a crimes against humanity treaty that is gender-competent, survivor-centric, and deploys an intersectional lens. This includes ensuring the inclusion of a non-discrimination provision to apply and interpret the treaty’s provisions consistent with international human rights law.
We believe it is equally essential that the treaty-making process itself is inclusive. States should facilitate meaningful, inclusive, and safe public and civil society participation from across the region, in all stages of the treaty-development process, including by people of all gender identities, as well as victims, survivors, and affected communities, and ensure that their voices are adequately represented in the final provisions of the treaty.
To add your organization as a signatory, fill out the fields below:
Signatory Organizations:
- 21 Century Forum
- Abogados Sin Fronteras Canadá
- Action des Chretiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture au Burundi
- Action for Change
- Action Network for Gender Equity & Law
- Adovicuganda International
- Afghanistan Human Rights Advocates
- Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (Ghana)
- Africa Legal Aid
- African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
- African Network Against Extrajudicial Killings and Enforced Disappearances
- African Platform for Human Rights and Governance
- AfricanDefenders
- Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Palestine)
- Alerte Congolaise pour l’environnement et les droits de l’homme
- All Survivors Project
- Alliance Internationale pour la Défense des droits et des libertés
- ALTSEAN – Burma
- Amnesty International
- Anti-Domestic Violence Center (Uganda)
- Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace (New Zealand)
- ASD-INKINGI (Uganda)
- Ashtar Development Organization
- Asia Justice Coalition
- Asian American Center of Frederick
- Asian Muslim Action Network (Thailand)
- Asian Resource Foundation (Thailand)
- Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
- l’Association des victimes, parents et Amis du 28 septembre 2009 (Guinea)
- Association of World Citizens (France)
- Association pour le Développement des Initiatives Paysannes (DRC)
- Associazione di solidarietà donne per le donne
- Athena Tech & Atrocities Advisory
- Australian Centre for International Justice
- Avaaz
- Bangladesh NGOs Network for Radio and Communication
- Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (India)
- Basel Peace Office (Switzerland)
- Blaž Golob GFS Institute (Slovenia)
- Burma Human Rights Network
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
- Canada’s Feminist Forum for Afghanistan
- Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
- Center for Accountability and Rule of Law – Sierra Leone
- Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict
- Center for Human Rights Advocacy
- The Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law
- Center for Justice and Accountability
- Center for Peace Building and Democracy in Liberia
- Centre for Democracy and Human Rights
- Centre international de Droit Comparé de l’Environnement (France)
- Centre Libanais des Droits Humains
- Centre de Recherche sur l’environnement, la démocratie et les droits de l’homme (DRC)
- El Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (Argentina)
- Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional
- Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos y Justicia de Género – Corporación Humanas
- CIDA Organisation
- The Circle
- Citizens for Global Solutions
- Civil Education is the Solution for Poverty and Environmental Management (Tanzania)
- Civil Rights Defenders
- Civitas Maximas
- The Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme
- Coalition contre l’impunite (Tchad)
- Coalition des Volontaires pour la Paix et le Développement (DRC)
- La Coalition Ivoirienne pour la Cour Pénale International
- Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide
- Coalitions de l’Afrique Francophone pour la Cour Penale Internationale
- CobraCrusade Lira
- Comisión de Derechos Humanos
- Le Comité National pour la Prévention et la Répression du Génocide des crimes de guerres crimes contre l’humanité et de toute forme de Discrimination de la République Démocratique du Congo
- Committee For Justice (Egypt)
- Community Empowerment for Progress Organization
- Corruption Brakes Crusade (Uganda)
- Crimes Against Humanity Initiative
- CSO Advocacy Platform of Liberia
- Darfur Bar Association
- Darfur Network for Human Rights
- Darfur Women’s Action Group
- DefendDefenders (Uganda)
- DePaul University College of Law – International Human Rights Law Institute
- DIGNITY – Danish Institute Against Torture
- Dr. Denis Mukwege Foundation (The Hague)
- The Duty Legacy
- Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women
- EnGendeRights (Philippines)
- Ensaaf
- Environnemental Frontline (DRC)
- European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
- The European Law Students’ Association
- Fantanka (The Gambia)
- Farida e.V. (Farida Global Organization)
- Femena
- Finnish Afghans Center
- Fondation Bill Clinton pour la Paix (DRC)
- Fortify Rights
- Forum des organisations nationales humanitaires et de développement (DRC)
- Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (Liberia)
- Foundation for Human Rights Initiative – Uganda
- FrameOut (Sri Lanka)
- Free Yezidi Foundation
- Fundación Internacional Baltasar Garzón
- Fundación para el Debido Proceso
- Geitasamo Paralegal Organization
- Gender Action for Peace and Security
- Gender Centre for Empowering Development
- Generation for Rights Over the World
- Genocide Alert (Germany)
- Global Call to Action Against Poverty
- Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
- Global Compliance Research Project
- Global Justice and Research Project (Liberia)
- Global Justice Center
- Global Rights Compliance
- Global Security Institute
- Global Survivor’s Fund (Switzerland)
- Grace Agenda (Kenya)
- Groupe d’associations de défense des droits de l’homme et de la Paix (DRC)
- HakiMadini
- Hazara Society Policy Center
- Human Rescue DRC
- Human Rights and Development in Africa
- Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
- Human Rights Defenders Network – Sierra Leone
- Human Rights Sanrakshan Sansthaa
- Human Rights Watch
- ICR Justice Africa
- IDHEAS Litigio Estratégico en Derechos Humanos
- Initiative for Good Governance and Transparency in Tanzania
- Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa
- Integrity Initiatives International
- Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace
- International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law
- International Association of Genocide Scholars
- International Association of People’s Lawyers
- International Center for the Study, Prevention, and Treatment of MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma
- International Commission of Jurists
- International Commission of Jurists, Kenya Section
- International Commission of Jurists, Norway
- International Federation for Human Rights
- International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture
- International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative
- The International Network on Disability, Peace and Security
- International Service for Human Rights
- International Society for Health and Human Rights
- International Tribunal of Conscience of Peoples in Movement
- Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law (Iraq)
- Invisible Children
- Italian Federation for Human Rights
- Iteka Initiative
- Jumuiya ya Maendeleo ya Elimu ya Wototo Pemba
- Just Planet
- Justice Access Point (Uganda)
- Justicia Asbl (DRC)
- Keen and Care Initiative (Nigeria)
- Kosova Rehabilitation Center for Torture Victims
- Laboratorio de Litigio Estructural
- Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy
- League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran
- Legal Action Worldwide
- Legal Resources Centre (South Africa)
- Liberty Sparks
- Libyan Human Rights Clinic
- Ligue Burundaise des droits de l’homme Iteka
- Ligue des Droits de la personne dans la région des Grands-Lacs (Burundi, Rwanda, and DRC)
- L’Organisation Guinéenne de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen
- MADRE
- Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
- Minnesota Peace Project
- Missing Persons Families Group (Türkiye and Syria)
- Mizan Organization for Legal Studies on Human Rights
- Monitor de Derechos Humanos (Venezuela)
- Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights
- Mozambique Human Rights Defenders Network
- Musawa
- My World México
- National Forum for Human Rights (Yemen)
- National Lawyers Guild – San Francisco Bay Chapter
- National Lawyers Guild Task Force on the Americas
- Netwomening Association (Spain)
- Never Again International – Canada
- Nigeria Human Rights Defenders Network
- Nord-Kivu Hjelpeforening
- Northern Justice Watch
- Norwegian Helsinki Committee
- La Nouvelle Société Civile Congolaise
- Operation Broken Silence
- Pan African Lawyers Union
- Parliamentarians for Global Action
- Partners in Justice International
- Partnership for Justice (Nigeria)
- Peace Track Initiative (Canada and Yemen)
- Pemba Child Rights Environment and Malaria Control Organization
- People for Successful Corean Unification (South Korea and US)
- Physicians for Human Rights
- Platform for Social Justice (Uganda)
- The Populace Foundation International (Uganda)
- Programa Venezolano de Educación Acción en Derechos Humanos (Venezuela)
- Protection Approaches
- Red Federal de Estudios sobre el Derecho Humano a la Paz (Argentina)
- Redress
- Regional Advocacy for Women’s Sustainable Advancement (MENA)
- Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale
- Reseau Equitas Cote d’Ivoire
- Réseau Equitas (DRC)
- Rights and Rice Foundation (Liberia)
- Rohingya Justice Initiative
- Room to Heal
- SACCORD (Zambia)
- Safe Island for Women and Children (Tanzania)
- SAHRiNGON Tanzania Chapter
- Save the Mother and Children of Central Tanzania
- Sentinel Project (Canada)
- Servicio Paz y Justicia Paragua
- Seville University (Spain)
- Solo Sandeng Foundation (The Gambia)
- Somali Human Rights Association
- SOS – TB
- South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network
- South Sudan Youth Peace and Development Organization
- Southern African Litigation Centre
- STRALI (Italy)
- Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (Global)
- Strategic Litigation Project (US)
- Students for Global Democracy Uganda
- Synergie des femmes pour les victimes des violences sexuelles (DRC)
- Synergie Ukingo Wet (DRC)
- Syria Justice and Accountability Centre
- Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression
- The Syrian Legal Development Programme
- Tanzania Centre For Economic and Social Rights
- Tanzania GCAP Coalition
- Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition
- Tigrians Canadian Immigration Association
- Transitional Justice Working Group (South Korea)
- TRIAL International
- Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement
- United Nations Association of Sweden
- Universal Foundation On Good Governance And Human Rights (Cameroon)
- University of Nottingham Law School
- Visionary Ethics Foundation (Costa Rica)
- The West African Transitional Justice Centre
- Uganda Peace Foundation
- UN Association of South Sudan
- United States International Council on Disabilities
- University of Chicago Law School Global Human Rights Clinic
- Vision Congo ONGD
- La Voix des Sans Voix pour les Droits de l’homme (DRC)
- Volunteer for Youth in Health and Development
- War Crimes Research Office, American University
- Wayamo Foundation (Germany)
- We are NOT Weapons of War
- West African Human Rights Defenders Network
- Women for Permanent Peace and Justice
- Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (The Gambia)
- Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
- Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section
- Women’s Link Worldwide
- Women’s Organization for Transitional Justice (Türkiye)
- Women’s Regional Network (Pakistan, India, Afghanistan)
- World Federalist Movement – Canada
- World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy (Czech Republic)
- World Future Council – Institute for Global Policy (International)
- World Hazara Council USA
- Women’s League of Burma
- Women’s Peace Network
- World Organisation against Torture
- World Without Genocide
- Yazda
- Yelef Initiative (The Gambia)
Individuals:
- Asli Abbasi, Ph.D., Human Rights Researcher and Activist, Iran
- Hirad Abtahi, Chef de Cabinet of the Presidency to the International Criminal Court
- Grace Acan, SEMA/Women’s Advocacy Network
- Professor William Aceves, California Western School of Law
- Hashem Ahmadian
- Zubaida Akbar, Woman Human Rights Defender
- Mohamed Al Shami, President, Alliance Internationale pour la Défense des droits et des libertés
- Maya Alrahabi, Executive Director, Musawa
- Riad Alakar
- Alfadil Alnor, Human Rights Activist
- Professor Dr. Kai Ambos, Georg August Universität Göttingen
- Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin KC (Hons), The Queen’s University of Belfast/Minnesota Law School
- Peter Archer, Ireland
- Rayhan Asat, Human Rights Lawyer
- Sareta Ash, Senior Gender Expert
- Professor Sahar Aziz, Rutgers University Law School
- Professor Tae-Ung Baik, University of Hawaii at Manoa
- Professor John Q. Barrett, St. John’s University
- Professor Karima Bennoune, University of Michigan Law School
- John Berger, Senior Fellow, Center on National Security, Fordham University
- Jutta F. Bertram-Nothnagel, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, Vice President
- Zurab Bezhanishvili, President, International Community for Georgia Development and the Progress
- Judge Gilbert Bitti, Kosovo Specialist Chambers
- Professor Marco Bocchese, Webster Vienna Private University
- Professor Michael Bohlander, Durham University
- Elizabeth Pérez Botí
- Jules Braet, Belgium
- Reed Brody, Former Director of UN Missions – El Salvador and DRC
- Todd Buchwald, Member, United Nations Committee Against Torture
- Professor David Donat Cattin, New York University
- Quianna Canada, Human Rights Defender
- Dr. Mónica Castillejos-Aragón, UC Berkeley Law
- Eleni Chaitidou, Senior Legal Officer, Kosovo Specialist Chambers
- Dr. Lecturer Giovanni Chiarini, University of Huddersfield
- In-Jin Chung, Barun Law
- Professor Roger S. Clark, Rutgers Law School
- Matteo Colorio, Sant’Anna School of Advanced Studies
- Ambassador Hans Corell
- Mazen Darwish, Syrian lawyer and human rights defender
- Jens Dieckmann, International Lawyer
- Dr. Viviane Dittrich, Deputy Director, International Nuremberg Principles Academy
- Carlos Villán Durán, Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
- Professor Terje Einarsen, University of Bergen
- Dr. Ingrid Elliot, Bahamas
- Dr. Mark Ellis, International Bar Association, Executive Director
- Professor Hon. Gareth Evans, Australian National University
- Professor Aaron Fellmeth, ABILA International Human Rights Committee, Co-Chair
- Daoud Daoud, CEO, SALAM
- Professor Stephanie Farrior
- Roisin Flynn
- Bhavani Fonseka, Centre for Policy Alternatives
- Quazi Omar Foysal, American International University, Bangladesh
- Ingrid Burke Friedman, JURIST Legal News
- Professor Sévane Garibian, Université de Genève
- Professor Hannah R. Garry, UCLA Law Promise Institute for Human Rights
- Paul Garthe, Portugal
- Justice Richard Goldstone
- Professor Gregory S. Gordon, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
- Michael S. Greco, Former President of American Bar Association
- Dr. Rosemary Grey, University of Sydney
- Dr. Leena Grover, Tilburg University
- Professor Jonathan Hafetz, Seton Hall Law School
- Khaliqyar Haidary, Human Rights Defender
- Christopher “Kip” Hale, Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine, Georgetown Law’s International Criminal Justice Initiative
- Nicholas Haley
- Professor Lindsay M. Harris
- Professor Steven Heydemann, Smith College
- Professor Yasushi Higashizawa, Meijigakuin University
- Christina Hioureas, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP
- Shirin Ibadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
- Dr. Jens Iverson, Leiden University
- Junemarie Justus, Founder and CEO, Acorn Project
- Martina M. Kabisama
- Sayedul Karim, Founder and President, Rohingya Justice Initiative
- Professor Paul Kang, Korea University School of Law
- Professor Patrick J. Keenan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
- Professor Michael J. Kelly, Creighton University
- Dr. Professor Mark Kersten, University of the Fraser Valley
- Professor Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
- Camilo Mejía Gómez
- Dr. Professor Mark Klamberg, Stockholm University
- Dr. Professor Claus Kreß, University of Cologne
- Judge O-Gon Kwon, former Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
- Professor Stephen Legomsky, Washington University School of Law
- Taceo Lenfant
- Professor David Luban, Georgetown University Law Center
- Professor Kathleen M. Maloney, Lewis & Clark Law School
- Professor Tomás K. Manguel, Universidad de Buenos Aires and Universidad de Palermo
- Tarcisco Dal Maso
- Dr. Anja Matwijkiw, Indiana University Northwest
- Metra Mehran
- Professor Juan Mendez, American University
- Dr. Abdul Aziz Meslat
- Professor Bonita Meyersfeld, Wits School of Law
- Professor Saira Mohamed, UC Berkeley School of Law
- Sadiq Mohammed
- Muhammad Sharif Muhammad, Founder and President, Hitma Development Organization
- Dr. Lahbib Naaimi, Law for Palestine (Morocco)
- Professor (ret.) Abdul Hameed Nayyar, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad
- Joshua Ndahiro
- Stella Ndirangu, International Criminal Law Expert
- Nancy J. Newman, International Action for Gender Equity & Law, Founder
- Tschika McBean Okosi, US & Guyana
- Professor Valerie Oosterveld, University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law
- Linda Osman, Syrian Legalist and Human Rights Activist
- Professor Dr. Milton Owuor, Director & Chair, Center for International Criminal Justice Africa
- Professor Anjli Parrin, University of Chicago Law School, Global Human Rights Clinic
- Laura Fuentes Pavez, Human Rights Lawyer
- Carmelo Faleh Pérez, Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
- Dr. Joseph Powderly, Leiden University
- Tania Principe, Nobel Women’s Initiative
- Ehsan Qaane, Co-Founder, Afghanistan Transitional Justice Coordination Group
- Teresa Quadt, Germany
- Klaus U. Rackwitz, International Law Expert
- Akila Radhakrishnan, Strategic Legal Adviser, Gender Justice, Atlantic Council and President, Global Justice Center (2018–2023)
- Dr. Claire Raissian, University College Cork
- Stephen Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice (2009–2015)
- Professor Darryl Robinson, Queen’s University Faculty of Law
- Professor Naomi Roht-Arriaza, University of California Law, San Francisco
- Professor Gabor Rona, Cardozo Law School
- Erin Farrell Rosenberg, University of Cincinnati College of Law
- Indira Rosenthal, Gender expert
- Professor Brad Roth, Wayne State University
- Kenneth Roth, Former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch
- Professor Susana SáCouto, American University Washington College of Law
- Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, Washington University School of Law
- Professor Phillipe Sands, University College London
- Christine Savino, Taiwan
- Professor William Schabas, Middlesex University
- David J. Scheffer, former U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997–2001)
- Judge (ret). Wolfgang Schomburg
- Fred Sekindi
- Professor Patricia Viseur Sellers, University of Oxford
- Joseph Severe, UNASCAD – Haiti
- Tarazi Mohammed Sheikh, Brac University
- Dr. Sheetal Soni, University of Kwazulu – Natal South Africa
- Professor Milena Sterio, Cleveland State University College of Law
- Léa-Rose Stoian, Legal Advisor in Criminal Justice and Criminology
- Jeanne Sulzer, Impact Litigation
- Sal Taal, Former President, Gambian Bar Association
- Ellen Thomas, Proposition One Campaign for a Nuclear-Free Future, Director
- Tony Tracy, Ireland
- Professor Jennifer Trahan, New York University
- Dr. Victor Tsilonis, Chairman, Intellectum Scientific Society
- Professor Viacheslav Tuliakov, National Univeristy Odessa Law Academy (Ukraine)
- Professor Catherine Van De Heyning, University of Antwerp
- Judge Christine Van De Wyngaert, Kosovo Specialist Chambers
- Professor Elisabeth Ward, DePaul University College of Law
- Mohamed Abdikarem Warsame, Director, Ismail Mire Foundation (Somalia)
- Peter Weiss
- Professor Liz Wickeri, Fordham University Law School
- Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
- Assistant Professor Dr. Mohamed Ahmed Zakaria
- Parisa Zangeneh, Ph.D. Student, National University of Ireland
- Ali Zeer, Syrian Lawyer and Human Rights Defender
Updated to reflect additional signatures on 4/24/2024.