A/HRC/41/24 United Nations General Assembly Distr.: General 8 October 2019 Original: English Human Rights Council Forty-first session 24 June–12 July 2019 Agenda items 2 and 3 Annual report of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and reports of the Office of the High Commissioner and the Secretary-General Promotion and protection of all human rights, civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights, including the right to development Prevention of genocide Report of the Secretary-General* Summary The present report is submitted pursuant to Human Rights Council resolution 37/26, in which the Council requested the Secretary-General to prepare a follow-up report on the implementation by Member States of their obligations to prevent genocide, with a particular focus on activities aimed at raising awareness of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and the realization of educational programmes and projects that contribute to the prevention of genocide. In the report the Secretary-General highlights several significant initiatives that Member States across the globe have taken that contribute to meeting those objectives. He particularly emphasizes the role of education as the most important tool for building the resilience of societies against violence, noting that education can foster a culture of prevention, reduce prejudices, promote peaceful coexistence and diversity and cultivate respect for all peoples. The Secretary-General also identifies existing opportunities within the United Nations system to make atrocity prevention more effective. In this regard, he encourages Member States to cooperate with the human rights mechanisms of the Human Rights Council, to develop plans, policies and strategies to address long-term risks and to mobilize international support for national initiatives to address those risks. More broadly, the Secretary-General recommends that States continue to make their own national efforts to prevent atrocities, within their own borders, while also participating in regional and international efforts to assist other States in fulfilling their responsibilities. * The present report was submitted late to Conference Services as a result of administrative constraints. GE.19-17261(E) 