A/HRC/41/24
similar phenomena that occurred in Latin America. In Ecuador, measures to deal with a
past of violations, including crimes against humanity and gross violations of human rights,
have not only focused on prosecutions but also on recovering memories to guarantee full
redress to victims. Symbolic reparations to avoid recurrence have included the mural “Grito
de la Memoria” (The Cry of Memory), a tribute to victims in Ecuador and Latin America
and a reminder of the need for a permanent search for truth and justice.
57.
Furthermore, to preserve memory, States have declared national days of
remembrance of past events to create opportunities to raise awareness about those events
and the importance of prevention, as well as in honour of the victims. The United Nations
has also marked some of those days. In 2015, the General Assembly proclaimed 9
December as the International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the
Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime. The day also marks the adoption of
the 1948 Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide and is a
good opportunity not only to raise awareness about the Convention and its role in
combating and preventing the crime of genocide, but also to commemorates and honour its
victims.
V. Conclusion and recommendations
58.
Investing in prevention is the only sustainable way to fulfil the pledge of “never
again”, which speaks to the very core of the United Nations mandate and principles.
An atrocity prevention lens must be a central element of our broader prevention
efforts to protect populations from the most egregious atrocity crimes. I urge Member
States to equally prioritize prevention at the national, regional and international levels
by implementing the following measures.
A.
On national capacities
59.
With regard to national capacities, Member States should:
(a)
Become parties to and implement key international agreements relating
to the prevention and punishment of atrocity crimes and the protection of
populations, especially the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the
Crime of Genocide and the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, and, in
particular, ensure that atrocity crimes and their incitement are criminalized by
domestic law;
(b)
Strengthen efforts to ensure accountability for atrocity crimes by
establishing domestic mechanisms that grant victims the right to an effective remedy,
as well as through the removal of statutory limitations, amnesties or immunities that
obstruct the prosecution of State officials, including members of the security forces,
and other individuals responsible for atrocity crimes;
(c)
Review and strengthen constitutional arrangements as required to
guarantee the protection of fundamental human rights, recognize the diversity of the
population and grant explicit protection to different groups, including ethnic or
religious minorities;
(d)
Conduct a national assessment of existing risks and resilience
opportunities, using the Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes. The assessment
should be regular, system-wide, include the identification of vulnerable populations
and involve consultations with civil society actors and groups, including women and
youth representatives. It could also include a review of whether and what kind of
international support could strengthen national capacity for atrocity prevention;
(e)
Build the capacity of national institutions to prevent or halt atrocity
crimes. In particular, in relation to national security forces, States should establish
transparent, accountable and democratic civilian oversight, including on budgetary
matters; include staff from diverse population groups at all levels; promote
professionalism among uniformed personnel’; create programmes to improve
13
Select target paragraph3
Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents