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 all regions, 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.

Signatory Organizations:

1. Abogados Sin Fronteras Canadá
2. Action des Chretiens pour l’Abolition de la Torture au Burundi
3. Action for Change
4. Action Network for Gender Equity & Law
5. Adovicuganda International
6. Africa Center for International Law and Accountability (Ghana)
7. Africa Legal Aid
8. African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies
9. African Platform for Human Rights and Governance
10. AfricanDefenders
11. Al Mezan Center for Human Rights (Palestine)
12. Alerte Congolaise pour l’environnement et les droits de l’homme
13. All Survivors Group
14. ALTSEAN – Burma
15. Amnesty International
16. Anti-Domestic Violence Center (Uganda)
17. Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace (New Zealand)
18. ASD-INKING (Uganda)
19. Ashta Development Organization
20. Asia Justice Coalition
21. Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
22. l’Association des victimes, parents et Amis du 28 septembre 2009 (Guinea)
23. Association of World Citizens (France)
24. Association pour le Développement des Initiatives Paysannes (DRC)
25. Athena Tech & Atrocities Advisory
26. Australian Centre for International Justice
27. Avaaz
28. Basel Peace Office (Switzerland)
29. Burma Human Rights Network
30. Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
31. Canadian Centre for Victims of Torture
32. Center for Accountability and Rule of Law – Sierra Leone
33. Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict
34. Center for Human Rights Advocacy
35. The Center for International and Comparative Law at the University of Baltimore School of Law
36. Center for Justice and Accountability
37. Center for Peace Building and Democracy in Liberia
38. Centre for Democracy and Human Rights
39. Centre international de Droit Comparé de l’Environnement (France)
40. Centre Libanais des Droits Humains
41. Centre de Recherche sur l’environnement, la démocratie et les droits de l’homme (DRC)
42. El Centro de Estudios Legales y Sociales (Argentina)
43. Centro por la Justicia y el Derecho Internacional
44. Centro Regional de Derechos Humanos y Justicia de Género – Corporación Humanas
45. CIDA Organisation
46. Citizens for Global Solutions
47. Civil Education is the Solution for Poverty and Environmental Management (Tanzania)
48. Civitas Maximas
49. The Coalition Burundaise des Défenseurs des Droits de l’Homme
50. Coalition contre l’impunite (Tchad)
51. Coalition des Volontaires pour la Paix et le Développement (DRC)
52. La Coalition Ivoirienne pour la Cour Pénale International
53. Coalitions de l’Afrique Francophone pour la Cour Penale Internationale
54. 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
55. Committee For Justice (Egypt)
56. Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (South Sudan)
57. Corruption Brakes Crusade (Uganda)
58. Crimes Against Humanity Initiative
59. CSO Advocacy Platform of Liberia
60. Darfur Bar Association
61. Darfur Women’s Action Group
62. DefendDefenders (Uganda)
63. DIGNITY – Danish Institute Against Torture
64. Denis Mukwege Foundation (The Hague)
65. The Duty Legacy
66. EnGendeRights (Philippines)
67. Enssaf
68. Environnemental Frontline (DRC)
69. European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights
70. Fantanka (The Gambia)
71. Femena
72. Fondation Bill Clinton pour la Paix (DRC)
73. Fortify Rights
74. Forum des organisations nationales humanitaires et de développement (DRC)
75. Foundation for Human Rights and Democracy (Liberia)
76. Foundation for Human Rights Initiative – Uganda
77. FrameOut
78. Free Yezidi Foundation
79. Fundación para el Debido Proceso
80. Geitasamo Paralegal Organization
81. Gender Action for Peace and Security
82. Gender Centre for Empowering Development
83. Genocide Alert (Germany)
84. Global Call to Action Against Poverty
85. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
86. Global Compliance Research Project
87. Global Justice and Research Project (Liberia)
88. Global Justice Center
89. Global Rights Compliance
90. Global Security Institute
91. Global Survivor’s Fund (Switzerland)
92. Grace Agenda (Kenya)
93. Groupe d’associations de défense des droits de l’homme et de la Paix (DRC)
94. HakiMadini
95. Human Rescue DRC
96. Human Rights and Development in Africa
97. Human Rights Concern – Eritrea
98. Human Rights Defenders Network – Sierra Leone
99. Human Rights Watch
100. IDHEAS Litigio Estratégico en Derechos Humanos
101. Initiative for Good Governance and Transparency in Tanzania
102. Institute for Human Rights and Development in Africa
103. Integrity Initiatives International
104. Interfaith Communities United for Justice and Peace
105. International Action Network for Gender Equity & Law
106. International Association of People’s Lawyers
107. International Center for the Study, Prevention, and Treatment of MultiGenerational Legacies of Trauma
108. International Commission of Jurists
109. International Commission of Jurists, Norway
110. International Federation for Human Rights
111. International Federation of Action by Christians for the Abolition of Torture
112. The International Network on Disability, Peace and Security
113. International Service for Human Rights
114. International Tribunal of Conscience of Peoples in Movement
115. Italian Federation for Human Rights
116. Iteka Initiative
117. Jumuiya ya Maendeleo ya Elimu ya Wototo Pemba
118. Justicia Asbl (DRC)
119. Keen and Care Initiative (Nigeria)
120. Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy
121. Legal Action Worldwide
122. Legal Resources Centre (South Africa)
123. Liberty Sparks
124. Libyan Human Rights Clinic
125. Ligue Burundaise des droits de l’homme Iteka
126. Ligue des Droits de la personne dans la région des Grands-Lacs (Burundi, Rwanda, and DRC)
127. L’Organisation Guinéenne de Défense des Droits de l’Homme et du Citoyen
128. Maryknoll Office for Global Concerns
129. Minnesota Peace Project
130. Missing Persons Families Group (Türkiye and Syria)
131. Mizan Organization for Legal Studies on Human Rights
132. Mozambique Human Rights Defenders Network
133. Musawa
134. My World México
135. National Forum for Human Rights (Yemen)
136. National Lawyers Guild – San Francisco Bay Chapter
137. National Lawyers Guild Task Force on the Americas
138. Netwomening Association (Spain)
139. Nigeria Human Rights Defenders Network
140. Norwegian Helsinki Committee
141. La Nouvelle Société Civile Congolaise
142. Operation Broken Silence
143. Pan African Lawyers Union
144. Parliamentarians for Global Action
145. Partnership for Justice (Nigeria)
146. Pemba Child Rights Environment and Malaria Control Organization
147. People for Successful Corean Unification (South Korea and US)
148. Physicians for Human Rights
149. Platform for Social Justice (Uganda)
150. Protection Approaches
151. Redress
152. Regional Advocacy for Women’s Sustainable Advancement (MENA)
153. Réseau des Défenseurs des Droits Humains en Afrique Centrale
154. Reseau Equitas Cote d’Ivoire
155. Réseau Equitas (DRC)
156. Rights and Rice Foundation (Liberia)
157. SACCORD (Zambia)
158. Safe Island for Women and Children (Tanzania)
159. SAHRiNGON Tanzania Chapter
160. Save the Mother and Children of Central Tanzania
161. Sentinel Project (Canada)
162. Servicio Paz y Justicia Paragua
163. Somalian Human Rights Association
164. SOS – TB
165. Solo Sandeng Foundation (The Gambia)
166. South Sudan Human Rights Defenders Network
167. South Sudan Youth Peace and Development Organization
168. Southern African Litigation Centre
169. Strategic Advocacy for Human Rights (Global)
170. Strategic Litigation Project (US)
171. Synergie des femmes pour les victimes des violences sexuelles (DRC)
172. Synergie Ukingo Wet (DRC)
173. Syria Justice and Accountability Centre
174. Syrian Center for Media and Freedom of Expression
175. The Syrian Legal Development Programme
176. Tanzania Centre For Economic and Social Rights
177. Tanzania GCAP Coalition
178. Tanzania Human Rights Defenders Coalition
179. Tigrians Canadian Immigration Association
180. Transitional Justice Working Group (South Korea)
181. TRIAL International
182. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement
183. United Nations Association of Sweden
184. Visionary Ethics Foundation (Costa Rica)
185. The West African Transitional Justice Centre
186. Uganda Peace Foundation
187. UN Association of South Sudan
188. United States International Council on Disabilities
189. University of Chicago Law School Global Human Rights Clinic
190. La Voix des Sans Voix pour les Droits de l’homme (DRC)
191. Volunteer for Youth in Health and Development
192. War Crimes Research Office, American University
193. Wayamo Foundation (Germany)
194. We are NOT Weapons of War
195. West African Human Rights Defenders Network
196. Women for Permanent Peace and Justice
197. Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (The Gambia)
198. Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
199. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, U.S. Section
200. World Federalist Movement – Institute for Global Policy (Czech Republic)
201. World Future Council – Institute for Global Policy (International)
202. Women’s League of Burma
203. Women’s Peace Network
204. World Organisation against Torture
205. World Without Genocide
206. Yazda
207. Yelef Initiative (The Gambia)

Individuals:

208. Hirad Abtahi, Legal Advisor of the Presidency to the International Criminal Court
209. Grace Acan, SEMA/Women’s Advocacy Network
210. Professor William Aceves, California Western School of Law
211. Zubaida Akbar, Woman Human Rights Defender
212. Maya Alrahabi, Executive Director, Musawa
213. Riad Alakar
214. Alfadil Alnor, Human Rights Activist
215. Professor Dr. Kai Ambos, Georg August Universität Göttingen
216. Professor Fionnuala Ní Aoláin KC (Hons), The Queen’s University of Belfast/Minnesota Law School
217. Sareta Ash, Senior Gender Expert
218. Professor Sahar Aziz, Rutgers University Law School
219. Professor Tae-Ung Baik, University of Hawaii at Manoa
220. Professor Karima Bennoune, University of Michigan Law School
221. John Berger, Senior Fellow, Center on National Seccurity, Fordham Law School
222. Jutta F. Bertram-Nothnagel, Lawyers Committee on Nuclear Policy, Vice President
223. Professor Michael Bohlander, Durham University
224. Reed Brody, Former Director of UN Missions – El Salvador and DRC
225. Todd Buchwald, Member, United Nations Committee Against Torture
226. Professor David Donat Cattin, New York University
227. Lecturer Giovanni Chiarini, University of Huddersfield
228. Professor Roger S. Clark, Rutgers Law School
229. Ambassador Hans Corell
230. Mazen Darwish, Syrian lawyer and human rights defender
231. Carlos Villán Durán, Asociación Española para el Derecho Internacional de los Derechos Humanos
232. Professor Terje Einarsen, University of Bergen
233. Mark Ellis, International Bar Association, Executive Director
234. Professor Hon. Gareth Evans, Australian National University
235. Professor Aaron Fellmeth, ABILA International Human Rights Committee, Co-Chair
236. Daoud Daoud, CEO, SALAM
237. Professor Stephanie Farrior
238. Bhavani Fonseka, Centre for Policy Alternatives
239. Professor Sévane Garibian, Université de Genève
240. Professor Hannah R. Garry, UCLA Law Promise Institute for Human Rights
241. Justice Richard Goldstone
242. Professor Gregory S. Gordon, The Chinese University of Hong Kong
243. Michael S. Greco, Former President of American Bar Association
244. Rosemary Grey, University of Sydney
245. Professor Jonathan Hafetz, Seton Hall Law School
246. Christopher “Kip” Hale, Atrocity Crimes Advisory Group for Ukraine, Georgetown Law’s International Criminal Justice Initiative
247. Professor Steven Heydemann, Smith College
248. Professor Yasushi Higashizawa, Meijigakuin University
249. Christina Hioureas, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP
250. Shirin Ibadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
251. Junemarie Justus, Founder and CEO, Acorn Project
252. Martina M. Kabisama
253. Professor Patrick J. Keenan, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
254. Professor Michael J. Kelly, Creighton University
255. Professor Mark Kersten, University of the Fraser Valley
256. Professor Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
257. Professor Mark Klamberg, Stockholm University
258. Professor Claus Kreß, University of Cologne
259. Judge O-Gon Kwon, former Judge of the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia
260. Professor Stephen Legomsky, Washington University School of Law
261. Professor David Luban, Georgetown University Law Center
262. Tarcisco Dal Maso
263. Anja Matwijkiw, Indiana University Northwest
264. Professor Juan Mendez, American University
265. Professor Bonita Meyersfeld, Wits School of Law
266. Professor Saira Mohamed, UC Berkley School of Law
267. Sadiq Mohammed
268. Muhammad Sharif Muhammad, Founder and President, Hitma Development Organization
269. Professor (ret.) Abdul Hameed Nayyar, Quaid-i-Azam University Islamabad
270. Stella Ndirangu, International Criminal Law Expert
271. Nancy J. Newman, International Action for Gender Equity & Law, Founder
272. Tschika McBean Okosi, US & Guyana
273. Professor Valerie Oosterveld, University of Western Ontario Faculty of Law
274. Professor Anjli Parrin, University of Chicago Law School, Global Human Rights Clinic
275. Joseph Powderly, Leiden University
276. Tania Principe, Nobel Women’s Initiative
277. Akila Radhakrishnan, Strategic Legal Adviser, Gender Justice, Atlantic Council and President, Global Justice Center (2018–2023)
278. Stephen Rapp, Former US Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice (2009–2015)
279. Professor Darryl Robinson, Queen’s University Faculty of Law
280. Professor Naomi Roht-Arriaza, University of California Law, San Francisco
281. Professor Gabor Rona, Cardozo Law School
282. Erin Farrell Rosenberg, University of Cincinnati College of Law
283. Indira Rosenthal, Gender expert
284. Professor Brad Roth, Waye State University
285. Kenneth Roth, Former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch
286. Professor Susana SáCouto, American University Washington College of Law
287. Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, Washington University School of Law
288. Professor Phillipe Sands, University College London
289. Professor William Schabas, Middlesex University, London
290. David J. Scheffer, former U.S. Ambassador at Large for War Crimes Issues (1997–2001)
291. Judge (ret). Wolfgang Schomburg
292. Fred Sekindi
293. Professor Patricia Viseur Sellers, University of Oxford
294. Joseph Severe, UNASCAD – Haiti
295. Professor Milena Sterio, Cleveland State University College of Law
296. Léa-Rose Stoian, Legal Advisor in Criminal Justice and Criminology
297. Jeanne Sulzer, Impact Litigation
298. Sal Taal, Former President, Gambian Bar Association
299. Ellen Thomas, Proposition One Campaign for a Nuclear-Free Future, Director
300. Professor Jennifer Trahan, New York University
301. Victor Tsilonis, Chairman, Intellectum Scientific Society
302. Professor Catherine Van De Heyning, University of Antwerp
303. Judge Christine Van De Wyngaert, Kosovo Specialist Chambers
304. Peter Weiss
305. Jody Williams, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate