The United Nations General Assembly by the resolution A/RES/69/323 designated 9 December as International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime to raise awareness of the Genocide Convention and its role in combating and preventing the crime of genocide; The Genocide Convention (article 2) defines genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group … ", including: - Killing members of the group; - Causing serious bodily or mental harm to members of the group; - Deliberately inflicting on the group conditions of life calculated to bring about its physical destruction in whole or in part; - Imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group; - Forcibly transferring children of the group to another group.

Forum: " Responsibility to Protect" International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime 2020.

This 9 December 2020 marks the 72nd anniversary of the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the “Genocide Convention”), the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly. The Convention signifies the international community’s commitment to “never again” and provides the first international legal definition of “genocide,” widely adopted at national and international levels. It also establishes a duty for State Parties to prevent and punish the crime of genocide.

Statement from the United Nations Secretary-General on the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime 2020; December 9th.

Genocide is the most heinous of crimes, encompassing all it touches in a tsunami of hate and destruction. It is an assault on our most fundamental shared values.

Today, as we remember and honour the victims of the crime of genocide, let us remember that the imperative to prevent genocide is foundational to the United Nations. The Genocide Convention, adopted in December 1948 in the aftermath of the Holocaust and the Second World War, was the first human rights treaty adopted by the General Assembly. It remains as relevant as ever as we work to prevent genocide and other atrocity crimes – crimes which are sadly still being perpetrated with impunity and no regard for the sanctity of human life.

Genocide never fails to shock the world when it occurs. But it is never committed without clear, multiple warning signs. The victims are often early targets of hate speech, discrimination and violence. One of our remaining challenges, 72 years after the Genocide Convention’s adoption, is to promptly recognize and act on these warning signs.

Hate speech is a clear warning sign, and we need to do better in rejecting it in all its forms. This includes ensuring that technology companies and social media platforms play their part.

Religious leaders and civil society also have a key role in prevention. Governments need to guarantee civic space for human rights institutions and defenders to do their essential work, and they need to protect the rights of those at risk.

To prevent genocide, it is also essential that we pursue credible and effective accountability. The link between systemic impunity and atrocity crimes is clear. The answer lies in impartial investigations backed up by prosecutions.

It also means access to justice and effective remedies for victims. Although accountability processes acknowledge the suffering and courage of victims, they rarely address their psychological and material needs. Victims have rights to truth, justice, reparation and a comprehensive package of guarantees of non-recurrence.

Ultimately, preventing genocide involves all of society. It is crucial that we all join hands to defend the principles of equality and human dignity and to repair the fissures and polarization that are so prevalent in our societies today.

On this international day to commemorate the victims of genocide and affirm their dignity, let us invest in prevention and commit to upholding the responsibilities established in the Genocide Convention.

António Guterres, U.N. Secretary General.

Event: International judges and experts shared experiences in granting justice for victims of genocide and related crimes, in the pursuit of peace and stability and preventing the recurrence of these crimes.

At UN Headquarters, a special event to mark this day is scheduled to take place online on 9 December from 11 am to 1 pm (EST). This year’s event, in line with the UN75 initiatives and commitments to promote peace and prevent conflicts, and the Secretary-General’s call for a global ceasefire, and honouring the victims of genocide, aims at listening to their voices and discussing the impact of international justice responses, including criminal justice and reparations, on empowering victims and preventing further atrocity crimes.

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Campaign: Preventing genocide and genocidal conflicts.

It is critically important to understand their root causes. While conflict has many causes, genocidal conflict is identity-based. Genocide and related atrocities tend to occur in societies with diverse national, racial, ethnic or religious groups that are locked in identity-related conflicts. It is not simply differences in identity, whether real or perceived, that generate conflict, but the implication of those differences in terms of access to power and wealth, services and resources, employment, development opportunities, citizenship and the enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms. These conflicts are fomented by discrimination, hate speech inciting violence and other violations of human rights. In terms of prevention, the critical step is to identify the factors (discriminatory practices) in a given situation that lead to or account for acute disparities in the treatment of a diverse population, and to seek ways to diminish and eventually eradicate these possible causes of genocidal violence. Given that no country is perfectly homogeneous, genocide is a truly global challenge.