Preventing Genocide and Mass Atrocities

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The international community has a collective responsibility to prevent mass atrocity crimes and to protect civilian populations at risk.

The recent tragedies of Darfur, Rwanda, Cambodia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina all bear witness to the international community‘s failure to prevent such crimes. And yet, in the lead-up to each of these crises the warning signs were clear.

Going forward, the international community must heed such early warning signs, and be prepared to act quickly and effectively when the indicators show the potential for systematic atrocities.

Read our report:

More Than An Ounce Required: Summoning the Political Will to Prevent Genocide and Mass Atrocity Crimes in the 21st Century

Mass Atrocity Crimes Watch List 2008-09
Our report aggregates information from academic and news sources to identify countries at risk for mass atrocity crimes. These countries require careful monitoring and implementation of urgent, meaningful and effective diplomatic, peacemaking, and/or civilian protection strategies.

Read our list of 33 countries at risk for mass atrocity crimes based on a range of indicators.

Open Letter from Survivors of Previous Genocides
Survivors of six previous genocides added their voices to the call for a more meaningful and effective system of genocide prevention.

Read the full text.

Preventing Genocide: A Blueprint for US Policymakers
On December 9, 2008, the Genocide Prevention Task Force, co-chaired by Madeleine Albright and William Cohen, released its report advising President-Elect Barack Obama's administration on how to handle the work of genocide prevention.

Read the recommendations of the Genocide Prevention Task Force.