View previous stories
	Genocide begins with ‘dehumanization;’ no single country is immune from risk by Adama Dieng Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide   December 2014   Not a single country is immune to the risk of genocide, said the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Adviser on Prevention of Genocide today as he marked the 66th anniversary of the signing of the 1948 Genocide Convention.   “As we continue to fight and to realize the objectives, we pay tribute to the millions of men and women who have lost their lives to genocide,” said Mr. Adama Dieng as he briefed reporters at UN Headquarters in New York, as part of a series of events in the run-up to Human Rights Day, commemorated annually on 10 December.   “We owe to them and to ourselves and future generations to realize a world free of genocide. We are still far from that, but we aim to make it happen,” he added.   Genocide must and can be prevented if we have the will of applying the lessons learned from Rwanda, Srebrenica, and the Holocaust. It is important to identify risk factors that would lead to genocide rather than to wait to when people are being killed.   The Holocaust did not start with the gas chambers and the Rwandan genocide did not start with the slayings. It started with the dehumanization of a specific group of persons.   Genocide is defined by the UN as a crime that is committed against members of a national, ethnic or religious group solely because they are members of that group. Genocide also entails there being intent to exterminate a particular group.   Genocide is when “you are being killed not for what you have done, but for who you are,” Mr. Dieng explained.   Currently, 140 Member States are party to the UN Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Genocide, which was adopted in 1948.   On Thursday, Mr. Dieng’s office will launch a new Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes which will focus on early warning signs and prevention strategies.   “We know from our experience that genocide is not a single event but a process that takes time, planning and resources which could be halted at any stage,” he said.   Marking the anniversary of Convention is an opportunity to renew our commitment to prevent genocide. “We must accept that there is no part of the world that can consider itself immune from the risk of genocide and all regions and all States must build resilience to these crimes,” the Special Adviser noted.   It is the collective responsibility of Member States, international institutions, civil society as well as the media to prevent such crimes.   He said that in 2005 world leaders committed to protecting populations who are at risk of genocide through the R2P, or ‘responsibility to protect’ initiative, now an international norm that addresses the failure to prevent and stop genocides, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity.   But the question remains why some States have been ready to address genocide and in some cases even prevent it, while others have, unfortunately, failed to do so.   “We are still unable to protect people in Syria from human rights violations,” he said, adding that had the Security Council acted when the uprising against the Syrian Government was still peaceful, the current and devastating situation might look different.   “Would we still have seen the rise of the barbaric group like ISIL[Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant]? Such groups do not come from nowhere,” Mr. Dieng said. As for other conflicts, he said atrocious crimes in South Sudan and the Central African Republic (CAR) are being committed based on the issue of identity because they are easily manipulated to generate fear, hatred, and violence.   “We need to think about the significance of the Genocide Convention and do more on the promise of ‘never again.’ We need political leadership from Member States and the courage to take steps that are not always easy,” he said.   http://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/adviser/index.shtml http://www.un.org/en/preventgenocide/adviser/methodology.shtml Visit the related web page
	Global status report on violence prevention 2014 by WHO, UNDP, UNODC   10 December 2014   One in four children has been physically abused, one in five girls has been sexually abused and one in three women has been a victim of physical violence at some point in her lifetime, according to the first report of its kind on violence prevent by three United Nations agencies released today.   Jointly published by WHO, the United Nations Development Programme, and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the Global status report on violence prevention 2014 reflects data from 133 countries and is the first report of its kind to assess national efforts to address interpersonal violence, namely child maltreatment, youth violence, intimate partner and sexual violence, and elder abuse. The Global status report on violence prevention 2014 calls for a scaling up of violence prevention programmes in all countries.   The report, containing data from 133 countries, covering 6.1 billion people and representing 88 per cent of the world’s population contains individual country profiles that reflect the extent to which key violence prevention programmes and laws and selected services for victims of violence are being implemented. It is intended for use by governments to help identify gaps and encourage and guide actions.   For example, only one third of the countries surveyed are implementing large-scale initiatives to prevent violence, such as bullying prevention programmes, visits by nurses to families at risk, and support to those who care for older people,” according to the report.   The report showed that “only half of all countries have services in place to protect and support victims of violence.”   According to the report, 475,000 people were murdered in 2012, and homicide is the third leading cause of death globally for males aged 15-44 years, “highlighting the urgent need for more decisive action to prevent violence.”   “Non-fatal acts of violence take a particular toll on women and children,” the report showed. “One in four children has been physically abused; one in five girls has been sexually abused; and one in three women has been a victim of physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence at some point in her lifetime.”   WHO Director-General Dr. Margaret Chan said the consequences of violence on families and communities are profound, and can result in lifelong ill health for those affected.   “Yet we know what works to prevent violence in our homes, schools and workplaces and on our streets and playgrounds,” Dr. Chan added. “We should take inspiration from governments which have demonstrated success in reducing violence by taking the steps needed. They have shown us that indeed violence is preventable.”   Despite indications that homicide rates decreased by 16 per cent globally between 2000 and 2012, violence remains widespread.   The report assessed the scale of implementation of violence prevention programmes. It shows, for example, that:   One half of countries are implementing school-based programmes to teach children and adolescents “life-skills” such as non-violent conflict resolution.   One half of countries are promoting efforts to change gender norms supportive of violence against women.   One third of countries are putting in place programmes to improve parenting in families at risk of violence.   Less than one quarter of countries are developing public information campaigns to prevent elder abuse.   UNDP Administrator Helen Clark noted that "this report takes stock of the measures countries are taking to prevent and respond to interpersonal violence, but the report also reveals gaps in global violence prevention which must be filled, such as the quality and reach of prevention programmes, the access to services for victims, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionately affected by violence, and the enforcement of existing laws."   UNODC Executive Director Yury Fedotov said: “Laws protecting citizens against violent crime send a clear message to society about what is acceptable.”   “With this ‘Global status report on violence prevention 2014’, we have a useful tool for identifying the gaps in legislation and enforcement in countries, which can help to indicate what further action is needed to ensure reductions in violent crime,” he said.   The report drew attention to the need for care and support to victims of violence for reducing psychological trauma, helping victims heal, and preventing further involvement in violence.   “Despite strong evidence linking experiences of violence to mental health problems, under half of countries have mental health services to address victim needs, with only 15 per cent of countries in Africa offering such services,” according to the report.   * Access the report via the link below. Visit the related web page
	View more stories