HUMAN WRONGS WATCH

(UN News)* — In his message on Saturday [9 December 2023] marking the international day for victims of genocide, UN Secretary-General António Guterres said that a new global push is needed to ensure that “never again” should anybody have to live through the horror.

“Sadly, we are in danger of forgetting the dark lessons of the past. In today’s world of deep division, mistrust and conflict, we remain confronted by the enduring menace of this atrocious crime”, he said.

He said it was essential that the Genocide Convention, which codified the crime for the first time this day, 75 years ago, when the General Assembly adopted it, “must remain a living force in our world, calling us to uphold its solemn promise.”

He said keeping the promise made by the 153 parties to the convention, which became effective in 1951, requires all governments ratifying and fully implementing the Convention and ensuring that perpetrators are held to account.

“It requires a renewed global push to establish and strengthen prevention mechanisms, educate new generations about past genocides and counter mis- and disinformation, which can fuel hate speech and genocidal intent and action”, said the UN chief.

As allegations of genocide continue to be make by all parties together with supporters around the world, in the context of the current war in Gaza between Israel and Palestinian militants, take a look back below at the history of the crime, and the extraordinary work of lawyer Raphael Lemkin who brought the convention against genocide to life – the UN’s first ever human rights treaty.