R2P in Focus, No. 22, August 2019 No Images? Click here R2P in Focus R2P in Focus is a monthly publication from the Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect designed to highlight recent events and political developments concerning the prevention of mass atrocities. The 2019 UN General Assembly Formal Debate on R2P and Mass Atrocity Prevention On 27 and 28 June the UN General Assembly held a plenary meeting on the “Responsibility to Protect (R2P) and the prevention of genocide, war crimes, ethnic cleansing and crimes against humanity” as part of the formal agenda of its 73rd session. The debate constituted the second consecutive year that the General Assembly formally discussed R2P. The President of the 73rd General Assembly, H.E. Ms. María Fernanda Espinosa Garcés, opened the debate, followed by remarks by the UN Secretary-General’s Chef de Cabinet, Ms. Maria Luiza Riberio Viotti. Speaking on behalf of the Secretary-General, Ms. Viotti emphasized to member states that “open and frank exchanges such as this are necessary to dispel misconceptions and mistrust and address double standards.” Following the opening remarks, one regional organization (European Union) and 70 member states made statements on behalf of 104 countries. Marshall Islands, speaking on behalf of the Pacific Small Island Developing States, and Malta each spoke for the first time in an R2P debate or dialogue, while Colombia spoke for the first time since the 2009 debate. For the second year in a row the Group of Friends of R2P also delivered a joint statement. The debate followed the publication of UN Secretary-General António Guterres’ report on R2P entitled “Lessons Learned for Prevention.” The report takes stock of a range of measures that individual states and the international community can undertake while upholding their preventive responsibilities. While the discussion demonstrated broad conceptual agreement on the principle of R2P, member states used the debate to reflect upon the widening gap between words and deeds in implementation of the norm. At a time when more than 70.8 million people are displaced by conflict, war and persecution, member states recommitted to taking steps to enable the international community to take effective prevention action and timely responses to atrocity risks. Throughout the debate many member states also called for continued formal discussions of R2P within the General Assembly. Responsibility to Protect and Hate Speech On 26 June the Delegation of the European Union to the UN and the Global Centre co-hosted an event entitled “R2P and Hate Speech." The UN Special Adviser on R2P, Ms. Karen Smith, and Global Centre Executive Director, Dr. Simon Adams, delivered remarks at the event which highlighted how hate speech and the marginalization of minorities increases the risk of atrocities. Both speakers focused on the need for the UN, civil society, governments and the private sector to work together to curb hate speech. Amnesty International’s UN Representative, Ms. Sherine Tadros, moderated the event. For a full recording of the discussion, click here or see #R2PandHateSpeech on Twitter. R2P and the Human Rights Council Photo Source: © UN Photo/Jean-Marc Ferré From 24 June to 12 July the UN Human Rights Council (HRC) held its 41st regular session in Geneva. As the primary international human rights body, the HRC has the capacity to prevent and respond to mass atrocity crimes, as systematic violations and abuses of human rights can be potential warning signs of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity or ethnic cleansing. The session saw the HRC adopt a number of resolutions to respond to mass atrocities around the world, including in Eritrea, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Syria, as well as its first resolution on the Philippines. Interactive Dialogues with the international commissions of inquiry on Burundi and Syria, as well as with the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in Myanmar, provided opportunities to raise awareness regarding ongoing violations and abuses of human rights in those countries. During the session the Netherlands and Rwanda delivered two statements on behalf of members of the Group of Friends of R2P on the Annual Report of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Interactive Dialogue with the Special Rapporteur on violence against women. International Justice On 17 July the international community observed World Day of International Justice and the anniversary of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC). To mark the occasion the Global Centre released a statement reiterating our commitment to ensuring that all victims and survivors of mass atrocity crimes receive the recognition and justice they deserve. The Global Centre, together with the Global Justice Centre, also released a fact sheet entitled “Q&A: The International Court of Justice & the Genocide of the Rohingya.” The fact sheet examines current accountability efforts for the genocide against the Rohingya in Myanmar (Burma), including at the International Court of Justice and ICC. It seeks to clarify available avenues for justice for the crimes committed against the Rohingya population, with a focus on state responsibility for genocide. Any Other Business
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