This site makes extensive use of JavaScript, for the best browsing experience we recommend you enable JavaScript in your browser.

About Genocide Prevention

Skulls

In the 21st century, the risk of mass atrocities threatens hundreds of thousands of innocent lives around the world. Genocide – where perpetrators act to completely wipe out an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group – is the worst of these horrors.

The U.S. government has recently recognized that preventing genocide and mass violence against civilians is not only a moral duty, but also a matter of national security. Following the recommendations of the 2008 Genocide Prevention Task Force, co-chaired by Secretaries Madeleine Albright and William S. Cohen, the government has taken a series of measures to strengthen its ability to prevent and respond to mass atrocities and genocide worldwide.

Despite these promising measures, the U.S. remains ill-equipped to prevent genocide. Citizens for Global Solutions believes that further action and continued commitment remains necessary to ensure that the U.S. can act swiftly, cooperatively and decisively to confront the horror of genocide worldwide.

The Responsibility Not to Veto: The Future of Genocide Prevention

security council flags

In 1994, more than 800,000 people were massacred in Rwanda. During the 100 days of genocide, the UN Security Council stood by, reluctant and unable to effectively end the horror. More than decade later, hundreds of thousands of civilians continue to die as a result of armed conflicts and systematic killings.

While major world powers have recognized the need for genocide prevention, political obstacles within the UN Security Council often stand in the way of fast and effective responses. To this end, Citizens for Global Solutions proposes that the the five permanent members of the Security Council voluntarily restrict their use of the veto power in situations involving genocide, war crimes, and major crimes against humanity.

This principle is known as the Responsibility Not to Veto (RN2V) and could be a major step toward preventing genocide and mass atrocities.

Resources

This paper includes:

  • An overview of the concept of R2P and the challenges of the veto
  • An outline of the origins and evolution of the concept of R2NV
  • Case studies: Rwanda, Kosovo and Darfur
  • Key policy recommendations

Special Report from the U.S Genocide Prevention Task Force

Task Force ResourceCitizens for Global Solutions' Policy Director, Ariela Blätter, contributed to the U.S Genocide Prevention Task Force, which was co-chaired by Madeleine Albright and William Cohen. The Task Force produced this 174 page report which serves as a blueprint for U.S policy makers.

Chapter 1:
Leadership: The Indispensable Ingredient
Chapter 2:
Early Warning: Assessing Risks and Triggering Action
Chapter 3:
Early Prevention: Engaging before the Crisis
Chapter 4:
Preventative Diplomacy: Halting and Reversing Escalation
Chapter 5:
Employing Military Options
Chapter 6:
International Action: Strengthening Norms and Institutions

Download Preventing Genocide

Special Report

Preventing Mass Atrocities

This 16 page policy brief includes:

  • Detecting risks & promoting action
  • Diplomacy:First line of prevention
  • Building resilient societies
  • International cooperation
  • Links to useful websites

Download the Policy Brief

The Global Citizen

A blog by Citizens for Global Solutions
FreedomHouse/Flickr
The Path We Should Follow after Syria Crosses the Red Line
May 01, 2013 - 10:23am EDT
President Barack Obama's recent announcement that he believes Syria has used a small amount of chemical weapons ignited a... Continue Reading
A Treaty is Born
April 02, 2013 - 11:51am EDT
What do Iran, Syria, North Korea and the NRA have in common? They are all on the losing side of trying to block the creation... Continue Reading
Hillary Clinton speaking at the US Holocaust Memorial Museum
Genocide Right Under Our Noses
July 25, 2012 - 10:47am EDT
"Bringing that dark chapter into light helps clarify and sharpen what we mean when we say never again.  But despite all we... Continue Reading
More