Gender Justice Advances in Crimes Against Humanity Convention

Preparatory work has officially begun for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention, presenting a significant opportunity to address gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. Numerous organizations and individuals are urging states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention, shaped by the experiences of victims.

Recognizing Gender-Based Harms

The convention should codify crimes meeting the threshold for crimes against humanity, including forced marriage, defined as compelling a person into a conjugal union through force, threat, coercion, or inability to consent. Reproductive violence, described as intentional acts or omissions violating a person’s reproductive autonomy, should also be recognized. Additionally, the convention should address gender apartheid, defined as inhumane acts committed within and to maintain an institutionalized regime of systemic gender-based oppression and domination, and the slave trade, encompassing acts involved in bringing a person into and maintaining them in a situation of slavery.

Victim-Centered Justice and Participation

The convention aims to deliver justice that is accessible and trustworthy, prioritizing the perspectives of victims, including those from marginalized groups. States are urged to conduct safe consultations with victims on the text, including the definition of victim, and provide procedural accommodations to ensure their meaningful participation throughout negotiations, implementation, and monitoring. The definition of victims should encompass all persons suffering harm from acts constituting crimes against humanity, aligning with international standards, and should provide for prompt, full, and effective reparations.

Convention Principles and Enforcement

The convention’s text should utilize gender-inclusive language and be guided by an approach grounded in intersectionality and gender inclusivity across all sections, including definitions, procedures, and enforcement. A strong non-discrimination and substantive equality clause, alongside robust monitoring provisions, should be included to promote implementation, progressive interpretation, and compliance. Negotiations should incorporate gender expertise, robust civil society participation, intersessional meetings on gender justice, and gender parity across delegations.

Participating Organizations

The following organizations have expressed support for the Crimes Against Humanity Convention: 6Rang (Iranian LGBT+ Network), A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons, Action pour la Réforme de la Justice et la Promotion des Droits de l’Homme (ARJPDH), ADIFEVEA World, Advocacy Network for Justice and Peace (ANJP), Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation, Africa Legal Aid, African Platform for Human Rights and Governance (APHURG), Al-Haq, Alianza Iniciativa de Mujeres Colombianas por la Paz-IMP, Alpha Support Development Programme, Amnesty International, Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace, APDHE, Article 19, Asia Justice Coalition, Asian Resource Foundation, Association of World Citizens, Avaaz, Awer Women Empowerment, Baran Tursun Foundation, Basel Peace Office, Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan, Center for Human Rights Advocacy, Center for Justice and Accountability, Center for Prisoners’ Rights, Center for Reproductive Rights, Latin America and Caribbean program, Centro Internacional para Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIIDH), Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center (CLRDC), Civitas Maxima, Clinique de Droit International Pénal et humanitaire, Coalition for the International Criminal Court, Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide (CPHG), Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC), Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD), Concern for Integrated Development, Congo Peace Initiative, C.P.I., DIGNITY, Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women, End Gender Apartheid Campaign, Equality Now, European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), Farida Global Organization, FOCEDEP, Forum of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP), Foundation Builders, Free Yezidi Foundation, Freedom from Torture, Fundación Internacional Baltasar Garzón (FIBGAR), Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI), Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, Global Human Rights Group, Global Justice and Research Project, Global Justice Center, Global Rights Compliance, Global Survivors Fund, Good Health Community Programmes, Hitma for Cultural and Social Development, Human Rights Advocates, Human Rights Centre ZMINA, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch, ImpAct Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions, IMPACT: Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict, Indigenous Peoples Network, Kenya, International Center for the Treatment of Violence, International Convocation of U*U Women, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), International Helping For The Young, International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative (IHLYI), Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law, Just Access, Just Planet, Justice for Iran, Justicia Pro Persona, A.C., Karama, Keen and Care Initiative, Kenya Human Rights Commission, Kurdish organizations Network coalition for the International Criminal court (KONCICC), Kurdistan Center for International Law, Kurdistan without Genocide, Lawyers for Justice in Libya, Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada, League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI), Legal Action Worldwide, Libya Crimes Watch (LCW), Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan Network, Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l’Homme Iteka, LingvaLexa, Maff Network for Solidification of justice and Development of Democracy, Malala Fund, Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN), Mukwege Foundation, Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM), National Center for Combating Violence and Abuse Against Children, National Forum for Human Rights, Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan, Organization of the Justice Campaign (OJC), Our Culture is Giving, Parliamentarians for Global Action, Physicians for Human Rights, Prevention of Crimes against Humanity Project, Columbia Law School, Redress, Refugee Consortium of Kenya, Repro Justice Congo, Sociedad de Profesionales por la Dignidad y la Justicia (IUS DIGNITAS), Society for The Empowerment of People (STEP), Somali Human Rights Association (SOHRA), Strategic Litigation Project, Synergy for Justice, Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS), The Arrested Lawyers Initiative, The Circle, The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA), The Reckoning Project, The West African Transitional Justice Centre, TRIAL International, Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement (UNASCAD), Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem”, United States International Council on Disabilities, Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, University of Cincinnati College of Law, Wayamo Foundation, Winam Chanua Dada CBO (CHADALA), Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, Women’s Peace Network, Working Group for ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Singapore (MARUAH), World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy, World Without Genocide, Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures, Youth Initiative for Human Rights Croatia, and Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia (YIHR Serbia).