The term atrocities refers to genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and ethnic cleansing.

Genocide

• Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide (1948)
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998, Article 6)

War Crimes

• The Geneva Conventions (1949) and their Additional Protocols (1977)
• The Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (1972)
• The Certain Conventional Weapons Convention (1980)
• The Chemical Weapons Convention (1993)
• The Anti-Personnel Mines Convention (1997)
• The Convention on Cluster Munitions (2008)
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998, Article 8)

Crimes Against Humanity

• International Military Tribunal in Nuremberg (1945)
• International Military Tribunal in the Far East (1946)
• The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (1998, Article 7)
• Work undertaken by the International Law Commission on Crimes Against Humanity (since 2013)

Ethnic Cleansing

• Final Report of the Commission of Experts Established Pursuant to Security Council Resolution 780 (1992) (1994)

For the effective prevention of atrocities, potential hotspots must be recognized early and the warning signs must be transmitted to the relevant governments and institutions. Several initiatives have attempted to improve early warning and analysis of atrocities.

• The Ten Stages of Genocide (Genocide Watch, 1996, revised in 2013)
• Mobilizing the Will to Intervene (Montreal Institute for Genocide and Human Rights Studies, 2009)
• Mass Atrocities and Armed Conflict: Links, Distinctions, and Implications for the Responsibility to Protect (Stanley Foundation Policy Analysis Brief, 2011)
• Guiding Principles of the Emerging Architecture Aiming at the Prevention of Genocide, War Crimes, and Crimes against Humanity (Genocide Prevention Advisory Network, 2012)
• Task Force on the EU Prevention of Mass Atrocities (Budapest Centre for the International Prevention of Genocide and Mass Atrocities, 2013)
• Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes: A Tool for Prevention (United Nations, 2014)
• Joint study of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide (2018)

Human rights are rights that every individual possesses regardless of nationality, religion, sex, national or ethnic origin, language or other status. Promoting and protecting the human rights of all is vital for the prevention of atrocities.

International Instruments

• Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1948)
• International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (1966)
• International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (1966)
• International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination (1966)
• Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (1979)
• Declaration on the Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief (1981)
• International Convention on the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of Their Families (1990)
• Declaration on the Rights of Persons Belonging to National or Ethnic, Religious and Linguistic Minorities (1993)
• International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearance (2006)
• Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (2007) 

Regional Instruments

• European Convention on Human Rights (1950)
• American Convention on Human Rights (1969)
• African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (1981)
• Arab Charter on Human Rights (1994)
• ASEAN Human Rights Declaration (2012)

Bringing perpetrators of atrocities to justice aids the healing process of victims and their community, and contributes to the establishment of sustainable peace. Accountability may also deter potential future or renewed atrocities. International and internationalized criminal tribunals have an important role to play in the process of finding accountability for atrocities.

International Criminal Tribunals

• International Criminal Court (ICC)
• International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
• International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)

Internationalized Criminal Tribunals

• International Military Tribunal for Germany (Nuremberg Tribunal)
• International Military Tribunal for the Far East (Tokyo trials)
• Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL)
• Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC)
• Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)

International humantarian law (IHL) places limits on what parties can do during armed conflict and occupation. It protects persons who are not or no longer taking part in hostilities, and regulates the methods and means of warfare.

• The Hague Regulations (1907)
• The Geneva Conventions (1949) and their Additional Protocols (1977)
• Customary International Humanitarian Law Database (International Committee of the Red Cross)

Peacekeeping refers to activities intended to create conditions that favour lasting peace. United Nations military and police peacekeeers are deployed with the consent of the main parties to the conflict. UN peacekeepers are impartial in their dealings with the conflict parties. UN peacekeepers use force with the authorization of the UN Security Council, to protect themselves and their mandate.

• An Agenda for Peace: Preventive Diplomacy, Peace Making and Peace-keeping (1992)
• Report of the Panel on United Nations Peace Operations (Brahimi Report) (2000)
• Report of the Secretary-General on the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict (2009)
• Report of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations on Uniting our Strengths for Peace: Politics, Partnership and People (2015)
• The Future of United Nations Peace Operations: Implementation of the Recommendations of the High-level Independent Panel on Peace Operations (2015)
• Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflict: Report of the Secretary-General (2018

Peacebuilding refers to a range of measures targeted at reducing the risk of conflict or the reemergence of conflict by strengthening national capacities for conflict management.

• Report of the Secretary-General on Peacebuilding in the Immediate Aftermath of Conflict (2009)
• Women’s Participation in Peacebuilding: Report of the Secretary-General (2010)
• Progress Report of the Secretary-General on Peacebuilding in the Immediate Aftermath of Conflict (2010)
• Peacebuilding in the Aftermath of Conflict: Report of the Secretary-General (2012)
• The New Deal: Building Peaceful States, including the Peacebuilding and Statebuilding Goals (PSG) (2014)
• Peacebuilding and Sustaining Peace: Report of the Secretary-General (2018)
• The missing peace: independent progress study on youth and peace and security (2018)

The Responsibility to Protect (R2P) is a global political commitment which was endorsed by all member states of the United Nations at the 2005 World Summit in order to prevent and respond to genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing.

Founding Documents

• The Responsibility to Protect (International Commission on Intervention and State Sovereignty, ICISS)
• 2005 World Summit Outcome Document (paragraphs 138-140)

United Nations Secretary-General's reports

• Implementing the Responsibility to Protect (2009)
• Early Warning, Assessment, and the Responsibility to Protect (2010)
• The Role of Regional and Subregional Arrangements on the Responsibility to Protect (2011)
• The Responsibility to Protect: Timely and Decisive Response (2012)
• The Responsibility to Protect: State Responsibility and Prevention (2013)
• Fulfilling our Collective Responsibility: International Assistance and the Responsibility to Protect (2014)
• A Vital and Enduring Commitment: Implementing the Responsibility to Protect (2015)
• Mobilizing Collective Action: The Next Decade of the Responsibility to Protect (2016)
• Implementing the Responsibility to Protect: Accountability for Prevention (2017)
• Responsibility to Protect: From Early Warning to Early Action (2018)

Civil society reports

• Toolkit on the Responsibility to Protect (International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect)
• A Guide to R2P and the Prevention of Atrocity Crimes (United Nations Association-UK)
• National R2P Focal Points Recommendations (Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect)
• A Common Standard for Applying the Responsibility to Protect (Holocaust, Genocide, and Human Rights Program at Cardozo School of Law)

Children often suffer disproportionately from armed conflict and atrocities and require special protection.

Framework documents

• Promotion and Protection of the Rights of the Child: Impact of Armed Conflict on Children (“Machel Study”) (1996)
• Optional Protocol to the Convention on the Rights of the Child on the involvement of children in armed conflict (2000)
• Children and Armed Conflict - International Standards for Action (2003)
• Children and Conflict in a Changing World: Machel Study 10-Year Strategic Review (2006)

Institutions

• UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Children and Armed Conflict
• UN Working Group on Children and Armed Conflict
• UNICEF
• African Committee of Experts on the Rights and Welfare of the Child

• Archives are Accessible - Search the Map! (International Council on Archives)
• Reconciliation After Violent Conflict: A Handbook (International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance 2003)
• Supporting Justice, Co-existence and Reconciliation after Armed Conflict: Strategies for Dealing with the Past (G. Theissen, Berghof Handbook Series 2004) 
• Securing Police Archives: A Guide for Practitioners (T.H. Peterson, Swisspeace 2013)
• Publications & Resources (Swisspeace)
• Dealing with the Past (Politorbis, 2010)
• Transitional Justice & Dealing with the Past (FriEnt, 2007)
• International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance — Focus Areas
• Interministerial Strategy to Support “Dealing with the Past and Reconciliation (Transitional Justice)” (German Federal Foreign Office, 2019)
• Dealing with the Past in Peace Mediation (SwissPeace & CSS ETH Zurich, 2009)

• Disarmament, demobilization and reintegration (UN Secretary-General Report A/65/741: 2011)
• DDR in Peace Operations: A Retrospective (Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
• Second Generation DDR Practices in Peace Operations (DDR Section, Department of Peacekeeping Operations 2010)
• Integrated DDR Standards (Integrated DDR Training Group)
• Resources (Integrated DDR Training Group)

• Getting Along: Managing Diversity for Atrocity Prevention in Socially Divided Societies (P. Baker, the Stanley Foundation Policy Analysis Brief 2012)
• eLearning Portal (Joint European Commission and UN Development Programme Partnership on Electoral Assistance)
• Publication Resources (Joint European Commission and UN Development Programme Partnership on Electoral Assistance)
• Resources  (ACE Electoral Knowledge Network)
• Enhancing Women’s Full Participation in Electoral Processes in Post-Conflict Countries (UN Women)
• EC-UNDP Electoral Assistance Guidelines (2016)
• Youth Participation in Electoral Processes. Handbook for Electoral Management Bodies (European Commission & UNDP, 2017)
• Electoral Results Management Systems: Catalogue of Options (UNDP, 2015)
• The ACE Encyclopaedia
• Enhancing Women’s Full Participation in Electoral Processes in Post-Conflict Countries: A Compilation of Resources (UN Women, 2004)

• Asia Pacific Partnership Atrocity Prevention Working Group on Prevention of Hate Speech and Incitement in Southeast Asia (APPAP, 2019)
• Combating racist hate speech. General recommendation No.35 (United Nations, Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, 2013)
• Commitments: Freedom of the Media, Freedom of Expression, Free Flow of Information (OSCE, 2017)
• Countering online hate-speech (UNESCO, 2015)
• Dangerous speech: a Practical Guide (Dangerous Speech Project, 2020)
• Hate Speech—Documentation, reference documents & tools (Council of Europe)
• Hate speech, information disorder and conflict (SSRC, 2020) 
• Models of governance of online hate speech (Council of Europe, 2020)
• Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent Incitement to Violence that could lead to Atrocity Crimes (United Nations Office on Genocide Prevention and the Responsability to Protect, 2017)
• Preventing Atrocities, Five Key Primers (Freedom House, 2014)
• Promoting interreligious and intercultural dialogue and tolerance in countering hate speech (Resolution, UN General Assembly, 2019)
• Publications—Multiple reports related to hate speech (OSCE) 
• Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights on the expert workshops on the prohibition of incitement to national, racial or religious hatred & The Rabat Plan of Action (OHCHR, 2013)
• The OSCE Representative on Freedom of the Media — Factsheet (OSCE, 2018)
• United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech (2019)

• Strengthening of the coordination of emergency humanitarian assistance of the United Nations (UN Secretary-General Report A/66/81–E/2011/117: 2011)
• Towards a United Nations Humanitarian Assistance Programme for Disaster Response and Reduction: Lessons learned from the Indian Ocean tsunami disaster (Joint Inspection Unit of the UN Systems 2006)

• ECOWAS Mediation Guidelines (2018)
• Mediation Library from UN Peacemaker (UN Department of Political Affairs)
• Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution (UN Secretary-General Report A/66/811: 2012)
• Standby Team of Mediation Experts
• Transitional Justice in the context of Peace Mediation (European External Action Service)
• Strengthening the role of mediation in the peaceful settlement of disputes, conflict prevention and resolution (UN General Assembly 2012)
• UN Mediation Guidance (UN Department of Political Affairs)
• UN Peacemaker resources (UN Department of Political Affairs)

• See also Universal Human Rights Instruments
• European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages (Council of Europe 1998)
• Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities (Council of Europe 1995)
• Forum on Minority Issues: Compilation of Recommendations of the First Four Sessions 2008 to 2011 (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 2011)
• Getting Along: Managing Diversity for Atrocity Prevention in Socially Divided Societies (The Stanley Foundation, 2012)
• Ljubljana Guidelines on Integration of Diverse Societies (OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities 2012)
• Publication resources on Indigenous Peoples and Minorities (Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)

• UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy (A/RES/60/288: 2006)
• Uniting against terrorism: recommendations for a global counter-terrorism strategy (UN Secretary-General Report A/60/825: 2006) 
• International legal instruments against terrorism (UN Action to Counter Terrorism)

• The Concept of Preventive Diplomacy and Its Application by the United Nations in Central Asia (Special Representative, UN Regional Centre for Preventive Diplomacy in Central Asia)
• Preventive Diplomacy: Regions in Focus (International Peace Institute 2012)
• At a Glance: Preventive Diplomacy (International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect)

• Aide Memoire: For the consideration of issues pertaining to the protection of civilians (Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs 2011)
• UN Documents for Protection of Civilians (Security Council Report)
• Enhancing Protection Capacity: Policy Guide to the Responsibility to Protect and the Protection of Civilians in Armed Conflicts (United Nations University 2012)

• Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement (E/CN.4/1998/53/Add.2: 1998)
• Sexual and Gender-based Violence against Refugees, Returnees and Internally Displaced Persons (UN High Commissioner for Refugees 2003)
• Protection of Conflict-induced IDPs: Assessment for Action (UN High Commissioner for Refugees 2008)
• Protection Gaps – Framework for Analysis: Enhancing Protection of Refugees (UN High Commissioner for Refugees 2008)
• IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internally Displaced Persons (Brookings Institution 2010)
• Under the Radar: Internally Displaced Persons in Non-Camp Settings (Brookings Institution 2013)

• Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR) — Manual
• The rule of law and transitional justice in conflict and post-conflict societies (UN Secretary-General Report S/2004/616: 2004)
• The rule of law at the national and international levels (UN Secretary-General Report A/63/64: 2008)
• Annual Report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General: Analytical study on human rights and transitional justice (A/HRC/12/18, 2009)
• United Nations Approach to Transitional Justice (United Nations, 2010)
• United Nations Rule of Law Indicators: Implementation Guide and Project Tools (Department of Peacekeeping Operations & Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights 2011)
• The Belfast Guidelines on Amnesty and Accountability (Transitional Justice Institute 2013)
• Report of the independent expert to update the Set of principles to combat impunity, Diane Orentlicher (OHCHR, 2005)
• Rule of Law resources(UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights)
• Suggested Reading on the Rule of Law and Transitional Justice (Office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees)
• Transitional Justice Policy (African Union Commission 2019)
• Transitional Justice and Human Rights in Europe (Council of Europe) 
• Study on Transitional Justice and Human and Peoples’ Rights in Africa (African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights 2019)
• United Nations Basic Principles and Guidelines on the Right to a remedy and Reparation for Victims of Gross Violations of International Human Rights Law and Serious Violations of International Humanitarian Law (UN General Assembly, 2005)
• International instruments relating to the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence (OHCHR)
• The European Union’s Policy Framework on support to Transitional Justice (European Union External Action, 2015)
• Balkan Transitional Justice — Publications 
• Joint study of the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence and the Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide (2018)
• The Transitional Justice Peace Agreements Database (University of Ulster)
• Transitional Justice & Dealing with the Past (FriEnt, 2007)
• Rule-of-Law tools for post-conflict states, National consultations on transitional justice (OHCHR , 2009)
• Transitional Justice and Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (OHCHR, 2014)
• Rule-of-Law tools for post-conflict states, Vetting: an operational framework (OHCHR, 2006)
• On Solid Ground Building Sustainable Peace and Development After Massive Human Rights Violations (Working Group on Transitional Justice and SDG16+, 2019)

Institutions

• Comisión de la Verdad
• Documentation Centre of Cambodia
• Jurisdicción Especial para la Paz (JEP)
• Unidad de Búsqueda de Personas Dadas por Desaparecidas

• Child Soldiers: A Handbook for Security Sector Actors (Roméo Dallaire Child Soldiers Initiative)
• ECOWAS Policy Framework for Security Sector Reform and Governance (2016)
• Securing peace and development: the role of the United Nations in supporting security sector reform (UN Secretary-General Report A/62/659–S/2008/39: 2008)
• Law and Order: Tools for Building State Protection Capacity to Prevent Mass Atrocity Crimes (S. McFate, the Stanley Foundation Policy Analysis Brief 2013)
• Policing Assistance in Armed Conflict: What Can Be Done? (Integrity, 2016)
• UN Security Sector Reform Perspective (Security Sector Reform Unit, Department of Peacekeeping Operations)
• Security Sector Reform resources (Department of Peacekeeping Operations)

• Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women (A/RES/48/104: 1994)
• Guidelines for Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings: Focusing on Prevention of and Response to Sexual Violence in Emergencies (Inter-Agency Standing Committee 2005)
• Handbook for Coordinating Gender-based Violence Interventions in Humanitarian Settings (Gender-Based Violence Area of Responsibility 2010)
• Minimum Standards for Gender in Emergencies (Oxfam 2013)
• Gender Issues in Conflict and Humanitarian Action (Oxfam 2013)
• Gender & Peacebuilding: Publications (Swisspeace)
• US Strategy to Prevent and Respond to Gender-based Violence Globally (US Agency for International Development)
• Sexual and Gender Based Violence: A Strategic Review (World Bank 2013)
• The Handbook for United Nations Field Missions on Preventing and Responding to Conflict-Related Sexual Violence (United Nations, 2020)
• Sexual and gender-based violence in the context of transitional justice (OHCHR, 2014)
• Evaluation of “Securing Accountability for GBV through Transitional Justice” (ICTJ, 2015)

• Implementing the Programme of Action and International Tracing Instrument. An Assessment of National Reports 2012-17 (Small Arms Survey, 2018)
• The Arms Trade Treaty (United Nations, 2013)
• Smalls Arms Disarmament resources (UN Office for Disarmament Affairs)
• Specific Human Rights Issues: Progress report of Special Rapporteur on the prevention of human rights violations committed with small arms and light weapons (E/CN.4/Sub.2/2004/37: 2004)
• UN Programme of Action on Small Arms and its International Tracing Instrument (Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects—PoA-ITI)

• Resolution 1325 (S/RES/1325 (2000) ensuring women’s equal participation and full involvement in all efforts for the maintenance and promotion of peace and security)
• Resolution 1888 (S/RES/1888 (2009) mandating the protection of women and children during armed conflict)
• Resolution 2106 (S/RES/2106 (2013) on conflict related sexual-violence)
• UNIFEM Resources on Women, Peace and Security (UN Women)
• Gender-Responsive Early Warning: Overview and How-to Guide (UN Women 2012)
• Enhancing Women’s Full Participation in Electoral Processes in Post-Conflict Countries (UN Women)
• DPKO/DFS-DPA Joint Guidelines on Enhancing the Role of Women in Post-Conflict Electoral Processes (Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Department of Field Support and Department of Political Affairs 2007)
• The Role of Women in R2P Framework (International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect)
• Women, Peace & Security resources (Department of Peacekeeping Affairs)
• Series on inclusive peace processes (UN Women)
• Preventing Conflict, Transforming Justice, Securing the Peace: A Global Study on the Implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1325 (UN Women 2015)

• Continental Early Warning System (CEWS) (Commission of the African Union)
• Conflict Early Warning and Response Mechanism (CEWARN)
• ECOWAS Warning and Response Network (ECOWARN) 
• Pact on Security, Stability and Development in the Great Lakes Region (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region 2004)
• Protocol for the Prevention and the Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity and all forms of Discrimination (International Conference on the Great Lakes Region 2006)

• United States Experts Committee on Preventing Mass Violence (Final Report November 2016)