UN to mark 75th anniversary of genocide convention
The UN will mark the 75th anniversary of the Genocide Convention today.
The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, also known as the UN Genocide Convention, is the first international treaty to criminalize genocide and the first human rights treaty to be unanimously adopted in the UN.
Conceived mainly in response to the crimes committed during World War II, the Convention has helped international courts rule on matters such as the Rwanda and former Yugoslavia genocides. This year, the UN will celebrate the 75th anniversary amidst turbulent times and conflicts such as the Russian invasion to Ukraine and the Israel-Palestine conflict.
Expect the anniversary to be marked with multiple side-events that aim at upholding the Conventions timeless message by educating current generations on past genocides. In the short term, expect a great focus on misinformation and hate speech to be addressed by multiple States and Human Rights organization as one of the principle threats to accountability. However, in the medium term, the current geopolitical divisions are likely to halt any efforts to review or enact major rulings on the current conflicts and human rights violations.
