Fifteen years ago the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) populations from genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity was unanimously adopted at the United Nations World Summit, the largest gathering of Heads of State and Government in history. R2P emerged as a norm in response to the failures to protect populations in Rwanda and Srebrenica during the genocides in the 1990s. It was designed as a new operational and political response to accomplishing the aim of “never again,” affirming the idea that the world should never stand idly by when populations are suffering from atrocity crimes.

On 1 June, to mark the 15th Anniversary of R2P and to reflect upon the norm’s past, present and future, the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect hosted a conversation with all former and current UN Special Advisers on R2P:

• • • Dr. Karen Smith (current)
    • Ambassador Ivan Simonović (2016 – 2018)
    • Dr. Jennifer Welsh (2013 – 2015)
    • Dr. Edward Luck (2008 – 2012)

View a full recording of the event below: