The Coalition for Genocide Response currently works on the following projects:
RECOGNISING GENOCIDE
One of the principle aims of Coalition for Genocide Response is to educate, inform and help promote the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (the Genocide Convention) which is a treaty signed by almost every country in the world and forms part of customary international law by which every country in the world is bound. In furtherance of this the Coalition for Genocide Response has provided technical advice and research, on a strictly non-partisan and cross party basis to Parliamentarians about the duties under the Genocide Convention and identifying what is needed for the UK to be able to fulfil its obligations under the Genocide Convention. This includes research into the jurisprudence of the International Court of Justice but also comparative research into the approaches adopted by other states.
PREVENTING GENOCIDE
Part of the duties under the Genocide Convention and under the peremptory norms of international law generally (which apply to all states) is to ensure egregious violations of core human rights, such as commission of genocide, are prevented. Our research suggests that most states, who are the object of international law, such as the UK, do not have any monitoring mechanism for early warning signs and genocide risk factors; this is a necessary precondition in order to give effect, comply and implement duties under human rights and international law. Coalition for Genocide Response researches the different options for such a comprehensive mechanism that could be adopted by the UK, as well as other states, so that they are better equipped to protect human rights of the targeted communities and prevent genocide in the longer term. Coalition for Genocide Response provides technical assistance and guidance to whoever approaches it on a non-partisan basis and this activity cannot be construed as “political” as it is confined within the ambit of accepted and non-contentious international law and is a general advocacy project.
RESEARCHING AND ADVOCATING FOR LEGAL RECOURSE
This strand of the Coalition for Genocide Response’s work is entirely focused on promoting respect for human rights, advocacy on human rights and eliminating infringements of human rights. We have been considering options available, within accepted international human rights law norms, to bring possible perpetrators to justice using the existing domestic and international mechanisms. We have considered other international mechanisms that may need to be established, to give effect to the core human rights treaties and accepted international law to effectively bring possible perpetrators to justice. The Coalition for Genocide Response produced research on the topic that has been used by a range of domestic and international stakeholders including: the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe. Prosecution of serious atrocities is crucial in the attempt to prevent future crimes and so protect human rights of the targeted communities, here, communities targeted by perpetrators because of their religion or belief. This is not political activity and a clarification can be provided on the website.
Some states, operating within international organisations, are unable or unwilling to give effect to the duties to prevent genocide, prohibit or stop its commission as required under the Genocide Convention. The Coalition for Genocide Response aims to raise awareness of the duties and responsibilities under the Genocide Convention on states generally and the challenges of giving these effect and conducting advocacy to propose greater compliance. The Coalition for Genocide Response does not lobby political actors in this respect but provides technical expertise, research and guidance on how member of the P5 within the UN Security Council can exercise restraint on their veto rights (solely in compliance with accepted international law duties) and how this could help to strengthen human rights protections and human rights mechanisms of those targeted.