We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, welcome the official start of preparatory work for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention. This is a significant opportunity to ensure an inclusive instrument that addresses long-standing gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. We urge states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention, which is shaped by victims’ multidimensional experiences. We call on all states to take comprehensive action, including:

1. Recognize all gender-based harms that meet the crimes-against-humanity threshold, by codifying crimes such as:

Forced Marriage: as compelling a person into a conjugal union through force, threat, coercion or inability to consent, consistent with established jurisprudence.

Reproductive Violence: as intentional acts or omissions that violate a person’s reproductive autonomy.

Gender Apartheid: as inhumane acts committed within and to maintain an institutionalized regime of systemic gender-based oppression and domination.

Slave Trade: as acts involved in bringing a person into, and maintaining them in, a situation of slavery, and reflecting its peremptory status.

2. Center victims and survivors in the convention:

The convention should deliver justice that people can access and trust—not a system that looks strong on paper but leaves victims behind.

Victims’ perspectives, including those from marginalized groups, should shape the treaty’s content, particularly with regard to prevention, accountability, and reparations.

States should conduct safe consultations with victims on the text—including the definition of victim— and provide procedural accommodations to ensure their meaningful participation throughout the negotiations, implementation and monitoring.

The text should define victims to include at least all persons who suffer harm from acts that constitute crimes against humanity in line with international standards and provide for prompt, full, and effective reparations.

3. Embed gender-competence across the convention’s content and process to promote equality and prevent discrimination, such as by ensuring:

Gender-inclusive language is used throughout the text of the convention.

An approach that is grounded in intersectionality and gender inclusivity guides all sections of the convention, including provisions on definitions, procedure and enforcement.

A strong non-discrimination and substantive equality clause and strong provisions for monitoring to promote implementation, progressive interpretation, and compliance are included.

In the text, gender is understood in line with current international human rights and criminal law.

The negotiations incorporate gender expertise and robust civil society participation, intersessional meetings on gender justice, and gender parity across delegations.

Endorsed by:

Organizations

1. 6Rang (Iranian LGBT+ Network)
2. A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons
3. Action pour la Réforme de la Justice et la Promotion des Droits de l’Homme (ARJPDH)
4. Advocacy Network for Justice and Peace (ANJP)
5. Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation
6. Africa Legal Aid
7. African Platform for Human Rights and Governance (APHURG)
8. Al-Haq
9. Alianza Iniciativa de Mujeres Colombianas por la Paz-IMP
10. Alpha Support Development Programme
11. Amnesty International
12. Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace
13. Article 19
14. Asia Justice Coalition
15. Asian Resource Foundation
16. Association of World Citizens
17. Avaaz
18. Awer Women Empowerment
19. Baran Tursun Foundation
20. Basel Peace Office
21. Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan
22. Center for Human Rights Advocacy
23. Center for Justice and Accountability
24. Center for Prisoners’ Rights
25. Center for Reproductive Rights, Latin America and Caribbean program
26. Centro Internacional para Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIIDH)
27. Civitas Maxima
28. Clinique de Droit International Pénal et humanitaire
29. Coalition for the International Criminal Court
30. Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide (CPHG)
31. Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
32. Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
33. Concern for Integrated Development
34. Congo Peace Initiative, C.P.I.
35. DIGNITY
36. Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women
37. End Gender Apartheid Campaign
38. Equality Now
39. European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
40. Farida Global Organization
41. Forum of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP)
42. Foundation Builders
43. Free Yezidi Foundation
44. Freedom from Torture
45. Fundación Internacional Baltasar Garzón (FIBGAR)
46. Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)
47. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
48. Global Justice and Research Project
49. Global Justice Center
50. Global Rights Compliance
51. Global Survivors Fund
52. Good Health Community Programmes
53. Human Rights Advocates
54. Human Rights Centre ZMINA
55. Human Rights First
56. Human Rights Watch
57. ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
58. IMPACT: Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict
59. Indigenous Peoples Network, Kenya
60. Int’l Convocation of U*U Women
61. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
62. International Helping For The Young
63. International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative (IHLYI)
64. Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law
65. Just Access
66. Just Planet
67. Justice for Iran
68. Justicia Pro Persona, A.C.
69. Karama
70. Kenya Human Rights Commission
71. Kurdistan Center for International Law
72. Kurdistan Organizations Network to Abolish Nuclear and Mass Destruction Weapons
73. Lawyers for Justice in Libya
74. Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
75. Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
76. Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l’Homme Iteka
77. LingvaLexa
78. Maff Network for Solidification of justice and Development of Democracy
79. Malala Fund
80. Mukwege Foundation
81. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)
82. National Center for Combating Violence and Abuse Against Children
83. National Forum for Human Rights
84. Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
85. Organization of the Justice Campaign (OJC)
86. Our Culture is Giving
87. Parliamentarians for Global Action
88. Physicians for Human Rights
89. Prevention of Crimes against Humanity Project, Columbia Law School
90. Redress
91. Refugee Consortium of Kenya
92. Repro Justice Congo
93. Sociedad de Profesionales por la Dignidad y la Justicia (IUS DIGNITAS)
94. Society for The Empowerment of People (STEP)
95. Somali Human Rights Association (SOHRA)
96. Strategic Litigation Project
97. Synergy for Justice
98. Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS)
99. The Arrested Lawyers Initiative
100. The Circle
101. The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA)
102. The Reckoning Project
103. The West African Transitional Justice Centre
104. TRIAL International
105. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement (UNASCAD)
106. United States International Council on Disabilities
107. Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, University of Cincinnati College of Law
108. Wayamo Foundation
109. Winam Chanua Dada CBO (CHADALA)
110. Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
111. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (UK)
112. Working Group for ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Singapore (MARUAH)
113. World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
114. World Without Genocide
115. Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures
116. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Croatia
117. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia (YIHR Serbia)

Individuals

1. Abdul Aziz Meslat, ICC Counsel, Visiting Professor, Hugo Grotius Chair in International Law at The George Washington Institute-Bahrain
2. Abdulnabi Alekry, Advisor, Bahrain HR Society
3. Adarsh K Warman, Peace Ambassador
4. Adrienne Ringin, Author and Researcher, International Human Rights Law
5. Alessia Nicastro, PhD Candidate
6. Alexa Koenig, Co-Faculty Director of the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
7. Ali Marsh, Victim’s Rights Staff Attorney
8. Alyn Ware, Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
9. Ana Yeli Pérez Garrido, Human Rights Defender, Director, Justicia Pro Persona
10. Angelica Wahono, Legal and Advocacy Associate, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
11. Anja Mateijkiw, Professor
12. Anne-Marie Tupuola, Independent Scholar, Human Rights Advocate
13. Astrid Odete Escobedo Barrondo, Attorney at Law
14. Basak Naz Simsek, Research Associate, PhD Candidate
15. Bonita Meyersfeld, Professor of Law, University of Witwatersrand School of Law
16. Brett Jones, Charles E. Scheidt Human Rights Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, Benjamin N.
    Cardozo School of Law
17. Carmen Miquel Acosta, Freelance gender & human rights advisor
18. Charles Kukulu, President, Congo Peace Initiative, CPI
19. Claudia Martin, Co-Director Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, American University Washington College of Law
20. Devyani Kacker, Consultant
21. Dianne Otto, Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Law
    School
22. Dubravka Zarkov, Retired, Associate Professor of Gender, Violent Conflict, Development, Columbia Center for the Study of Social Difference
23. Elisabeth Wickeri, Executive Director, Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
24. Elizabeth Atieno, Survivor of CRSV and Consultant
25. Emma DiNapoli, Legal Advisor, Eyewitness to Atrocities
26. Erin Rosenberg, Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, Red Line Initiative, Mukwege Foundation
27. Estrella del Valle Calzada, Assistant Professor – Public International Law – University of Valencia
28. Fannie Lafontaine, Full Professor, Laval University School of Law
29. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, Professor of Law School of Law, The Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
30. Flávia Fernandes Pinto, Crime Prevention Consultant
31. Florence Gbinigie, PhD Women’s Right Activist, Social crusader
32. George Darlington Hashaka, Founder Executive Chairman
33. Grant Shubin, Senior Legal Advisor Graziella Pavone, Consultant, Human Rights and Gender Equality
34. Hannah Garry, Professor, USC Gould School of Law
35. Hashim Yussif, General Secretary
36. Imane Hafidi, Employee, Coalition for the International Criminal Court
37. Indai Sajor, Founder, Women’s Tribunal Feminist
    Collective
38. Iulia Padeanu Mellon, Associate, Foley Hoag
39. Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Professor of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
40. Jessica Peake, Director, International and Comparative Law Program, UCLA
41. Julia Basile, Lawyer
42. Julia Tétrault-Provencher, Legal Advisor
43. Justin Makangara, Multimedia Journalist and Documentary Photographer
44. Kamala Poudel, Program Officer, KOSHISH Nepal
45. Karima Bennoune, Lewis M. Simes Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, and Former UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
46. Kathleen M. Maloney, Visiting Law Professor, Lewis & Clark Law School
47. Kikelomo Oyetunde, Project Coordinator, Consultant, Human Rights and ICL Lawyer
48. Lahbib Naaimi, Legal advocate, Visiting Lecturer & Researcher on issues of international criminal justice and human rights in post-conflict/Transitional justice
49. Larissa Tavares de Freitas, PhD Candidate in International Law, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”
50. Leila Sadat, James Carr Prof., International Criminal Law, Washington University School of Law
51. Linda Osman, International Lawyer and Human Rights Advocate
52. Lindsay M. Harris, Professor of Law, Director, International Human Rights Clinic, University of San Francisco School of Law
53. Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, University of New South Wales, Sydney
54. Marcel Bakanga Awachango, Europe Coordinator, Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
55. Maria F. Perez Solla, Coordinator, Verein Frauen Weinviertel; Independent Researcher and Scholar
56. Marissa Kardon Weber, International Criminal and Human Rights Lawyer
57. Martin Mavenjina, Senior Program Officer, Transitional Justice
58. Melanie O’Brien, Associate Professor of International Law & Deputy Head of School (Research) at UWA Law School
59. Mohammad, Filmmaker
60. Mohamed Aboelazm
61. Monica Castillejos Aragon, Comparative Law and International Law Lecturer, UC Berkeley School of Law
62. Najet Zammouri, Feminist activist and Co-Chair of The Tunisian League for Human Rights Defence
63. Nazlı Töre, Associate Professor, Turkish Council of Women
64. Nerima Were, Human Rights Activist
65. Olympia Bekou, Professor of Public International Law, University of Nottingham, UK
66. Omam Esther, Executive Director, Reach Out Cameroon
67. Parisa Zangeneh, PhD Researcher
68. Patricia Barajas, Student
69. Patsy George, Retired Social Worker
70. Rahela Kaveer, Founder, Afghanistan Women Empowering Organization
71. Rajika L. Shah, Director of the Loyola Justice for Atrocities Clinic (LJAC) at LMU Loyola Law School, Attorney
72. Rebecca A. Shoot, Co-Convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
73. Robert Hotston, Consulting Investigator
74. Rosemary Grey, Co-Director, Sydney Centre for International Law, Sydney Law School, The University of Sydney
75. Sarah Kay, Human Rights Lawyer
76. Sarah Kihika, Transitional Justice Expert
77. Sarah Naneix, Program Officer
78. Sarah Vaill, Founder and President, Viva Strategy
79. Sareta Ashraph, International Criminal Lawyer, Garden Court Chambers
80. Saugat Subedi, Attorney at Law
81. Sergiy Shtukarin, Human rights consultant
82. Shannon Raj Singh, Independent
83. Sheena Swemmer, Head of Programme, Gender Justice, Centre for Applied Legal Studies, University of the Witwatersrand School of Law
84. Shyamala Alagendra, International Criminal Lawyer, Gender and Child Rights Specialist
85. Sidonia Lucia Kula, Lecturer in Law and Gender
86. Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice (2009-2015)
87. Susana Sacouto, Director, War Crimes Research Office of the of the Washington College of Law
88. Valerie Oosterveld, Professor of Law at University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law
89. Venesa Sulimani, Activist
90. Weihui Wang
91. William Pons, Former Senior Legal Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
92. Y Ƀhim Nie, Independent Scholar of the Dega People Genocide
93. Yousuf Syed Khan, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council (Strategic Litigation Project)

Updated as of 19 January.