Mass Atrocity Prevention
- A Resource Guide -
Interested in how to translate knowledge of mass atrocity risks into practice?
This site presents some of the most important and useful resources in the field. It is intended as a guide to navigating the nexus between policy and research. It is by no means an exhaustive list, but rather an introduction to some particularly useful resources, and it includes descriptions that help distinguish between them.
Whether an activist or student of atrocity prevention, the resources presented here provide a great starting point for understanding this complex field.
This list will be continuously expanded and updated. Please use the contact form to suggest resources that should be added.
What are atrocity crimes?
Atrocities are defined under international law as the crimes of genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity, and ethnic cleansing.
They consist of some of the worst acts of violence people can perpetrate and be faced with, but they can be predicted and as such prevented.
A few policy documents and a research based introductory book provide a good place to start for anyone interested in learning more about mass atrocity prevention.
In order to prevent atrocities, situations of insecurity must be monitored and analyzed. Multiple projects do precisely this, monitoring warning indicators and risks through atrocity prevention frameworks and tools.
(for a more in-depth overview, check out this post here)
“How can atrocities be prevented?”
“What steps are necessary for successful prevention?”
“Who is supposed to prevent atrocities?”
Atrocity prevention frameworks aim to answer these questions, acting as the foundations on which prevention efforts can, and should, be carried out.
Preventing atrocities requires structured planning, continuous funding, and effective implementation.
As such, policymakers, advocates, researchers, and activists tend to operate through governmental organizations, NGOs, institutions, and research centers.
Swift and effective collaboration is often necessary to ensure the prevention of atrocities, both at regional and international levels, so networks grant individual actors, organizations, and institutions concrete opportunities to work together.
