Advancing gender justice in the Crimes against Humanity Convention: a declaration

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, welcome the official start of preparatory work for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention. This is a significant opportunity to ensure an inclusive instrument that addresses long-standing gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. We urge states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention, which is shaped by victims’ multidimensional experiences. We call on all states to take comprehensive action, including:

1. Recognize all gender-based harms that meet the crimes-against-humanity threshold, by codifying crimes such as:

Forced Marriage: as compelling a person into a conjugal union through force, threat, coercion or inability to consent, consistent with established jurisprudence.

Reproductive Violence: as intentional acts or omissions that violate a person’s reproductive autonomy.

Gender Apartheid: as inhumane acts committed within and to maintain an institutionalized regime of systemic gender-based oppression and domination.

Slave Trade: as acts involved in bringing a person into, and maintaining them in, a situation of slavery, and reflecting its peremptory status.

2. Center victims and survivors in the convention:

The convention should deliver justice that people can access and trust—not a system that looks strong on paper but leaves victims behind.

Victims’ perspectives, including those from marginalized groups, should shape the treaty’s content, particularly with regard to prevention, accountability, and reparations.

States should conduct safe consultations with victims on the text—including the definition of victim—and provide procedural accommodations to ensure their meaningful participation throughout the negotiations, implementation and monitoring.

The text should define victims to include at least all persons who suffer harm from acts that constitute crimes against humanity in line with international standards and provide for prompt, full, and effective reparations.

3. Embed gender-competence across the convention’s content and process to promote equality and prevent discrimination, such as by ensuring:

Gender-inclusive language is used throughout the text of the convention.

An approach that is grounded in intersectionality and gender inclusivity guides all sections of the convention, including provisions on definitions, procedure and enforcement.

A strong non-discrimination and substantive equality clause and strong provisions for monitoring to promote implementation, progressive interpretation, and compliance are included.

In the text, gender is understood in line with current international human rights and criminal law.

The negotiations incorporate gender expertise and robust civil society participation, intersessional meetings on gender justice, and gender parity across delegations.

Signed by:

Organizations

1. 6Rang (Iranian LGBT+ Network)
2. A World Without Chemical and Biological Weapons
3. Action pour la Réforme de la Justice et la Promotion des Droits de l’Homme (ARJPDH)
4. ADIFEVEA World
5. Advocacy Network for Justice and Peace (ANJP)
6. Afghanistan Human Rights and Democracy Organisation
7. Africa Legal Aid
8. African Platform for Human Rights and Governance (APHURG)
9. Al-Haq
10. Alianza Iniciativa de Mujeres Colombianas por la Paz-IMP
11. Alpha Support Development Programme
12. Amnesty International
13. Aotearoa Lawyers for Peace
14. APDHE
15. Article 19
16. Asia Justice Coalition
17. Asian Resource Foundation
18. Association of World Citizens
19. Avaaz
20. Awer Women Empowerment
21. Baran Tursun Foundation
22. Basel Peace Office
23. Bir Duino-Kyrgyzstan
24. Center for Human Rights Advocacy
25. Center for Justice and Accountability
26. Center for Prisoners’ Rights
27. Center for Reproductive Rights, Latin America and Caribbean program
28. Centro Internacional para Investigaciones en Derechos Humanos (CIIDH)
29. Children’s Legal Rights and Development Center (CLRDC)
30. Civitas Maxima
31. Clinique de Droit International Pénal et humanitaire
32. Coalition for the International Criminal Court
33. Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide (CPHG)
34. Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
35. Coalition of Somali Human Rights Defenders (CSHRD)
36. Concern for Integrated Development
37. Congo Peace Initiative, C.P.I.
38. DIGNITY
39. Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women
40. End Gender Apartheid Campaign
41. Equality Now
42. European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)
43. Farida Global Organization
44. FOCEDEP
45. Forum of Nigerian Women In Politics (FONWIP)
46. Foundation Builders
47. Free Yezidi Foundation
48. Freedom from Torture
49. Fundación Internacional Baltasar Garzón (FIBGAR)
50. Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)
51. Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect
52. Global Human Rights Group
53. Global Justice and Research Project
54. Global Justice Center
55. Global Rights Compliance
56. Global Survivors Fund
57. Good Health Community Programmes
58. Hitma for Cultural and Social Development
59. Human Rights Advocates
60. Human Rights Centre ZMINA
61. Human Rights First
62. Human Rights Watch
63. ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
64. IMPACT: Center Against Human Trafficking and Sexual Violence in Conflict
65. Indigenous Peoples Network, Kenya
66. International Center for the Treatment of Violence
67. International Convocation of U*U Women
68. International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
69. International Helping For The Young
70. International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative (IHLYI)
71. Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law
72. Just Access
73. Just Planet
74. Justice for Iran
75. Justicia Pro Persona, A.C.
76. Karama
77. Keen and Care Initiative
78. Kenya Human Rights Commission
79. Kurdish organizations Network coalition for the International Criminal court (KONCICC)
80. Kurdistan Center for International Law
81. Kurdistan Organizations Network to Abolish Nuclear and Mass Destruction Weapons
82. Kurdistan without Genocide
83. Lawyers for Justice in Libya
84. Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada
85. League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)
86. Legal Action Worldwide
87. Libya Crimes Watch (LCW)
88. Life campaign to abolish the death sentence in Kurdistan Network
89. Ligue Burundaise des Droits de l’Homme Iteka
90. LingvaLexa
91. Maff Network for Solidification of justice and Development of Democracy
92. Malala Fund
93. Maldivian Democracy Network (MDN)
94. Mukwege Foundation
95. Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)
96. National Center for Combating Violence and Abuse Against Children
97. National Forum for Human Rights
98. Organization Against Weapons of Mass Destruction in Kurdistan
99. Organization of the Justice Campaign (OJC)
100. Our Culture is Giving
101. Parliamentarians for Global Action
102. Physicians for Human Rights
103. Prevention of Crimes against Humanity Project, Columbia Law School
104. Redress
105. Refugee Consortium of Kenya
106. Repro Justice Congo
107. Sociedad de Profesionales por la Dignidad y la Justicia (IUS DIGNITAS)
108. Society for The Empowerment of People (STEP)
109. Somali Human Rights Association (SOHRA)
110. Strategic Litigation Project
111. Synergy for Justice
112. Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS)
113. The Arrested Lawyers Initiative
114. The Circle
115. The European Law Students’ Association (ELSA)
116. The Reckoning Project
117. The West African Transitional Justice Centre
118. TRIAL International
119. Union des Amis Socio Culturels d’Action en Developpement (UNASCAD)
120. Ukrainian Women Lawyers Association “JurFem”
121. United States International Council on Disabilities
122. Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights, University of Cincinnati College of Law
123. Wayamo Foundation
124. Winam Chanua Dada CBO (CHADALA)
125. Women Human Rights Defenders International Coalition
126. Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
127. Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (UK)
128. Women’s Peace Network
129. Working Group for ASEAN Human Rights Mechanism, Singapore (MARUAH)
130. World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
131. World Without Genocide
132. Youth for Peace and Dialogue Between Cultures
133. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Croatia
134. Youth Initiative for Human Rights Serbia (YIHR Serbia)

Individuals

135. Abdul Aziz Meslat, ICC Counsel, Visiting Professor, Hugo Grotius Chair in International Law at The George Washington Institute-Bahrain
136. Abdulnabi Alekry, Advisor, Bahrain HR Society
137. Adarsh K Warman, Peace Ambassador
138. Adrienne Ringin, Author and Researcher, International Human Rights Law
139. Alessia Nicastro, PhD Candidate
140. Alexa Koenig, Co-Faculty Director of the Human Rights Center, UC Berkeley
141. Ali Marsh, Victim’s Rights Staff Attorney
142. Alyn Ware, Program Director, World Federalist Movement-Institute for Global Policy
143. Ana Yeli Pérez Garrido, Human Rights Defender, Director, Justicia Pro Persona
144. Angelica Wahono, Legal and Advocacy Associate, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
145. Anja Mateijkiw, Professor
146. Anne-Marie Tupuola, Independent Scholar, Human Rights Advocate
147. Armen Matabishi, Managing Director, ADIFEVEA World
148. Astrid Odete Escobedo Barrondo, Attorney at Law
149. Basak Naz Simsek, Research Associate, PhD Candidate
150. Baruti Likoyi, Senior Research Fellow/Recherches et Documentation Juridiques Africaines (ASBL)
151. Bonita Meyersfeld, Professor of Law, University of Witwatersrand School of Law
152. Brett Jones, Charles E. Scheidt Human Rights Visiting Clinical Assistant Professor, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
153. Carmen Miquel Acosta, Freelance gender & human rights advisor
154. Charles Kukulu, President, Congo Peace Initiative, CPI
155. Claudia Martin, Co-Director Academy on Human Rights and Humanitarian Law, Washington College of Law, American University
156. Devyani Kacker, Consultant
157. D Karthikeyan
158. Dianne Otto, Professorial Fellow at Melbourne Law School
159. Dubravka Zarkov, Retired, Associate Professor of Gender, Violent Conflict, Development, Columbia Center for the Study of Social Difference
160. Elisabeth Wickeri, Executive Director, Leitner Center for International Law and Justice
161. Elizabeth Atieno, Survivor of CRSV and Consultant
162. Emma DiNapoli, Legal Advisor, Eyewitness to Atrocities
163. Erin Rosenberg, Senior Legal and Policy Advisor, Red Line Initiative, Mukwege Foundation
164. Estrella del Valle Calzada, Assistant Professor – Public International Law – University of Valencia
165. Fannie Lafontaine, Full Professor, Laval University School of Law
166. Fatou Bensouda, Ambassador of The Gambia to the Court of St James
167. Fionnuala Ni Aolain, Professor of Law School of Law, The Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland
168. Flávia Fernandes Pinto, Crime Prevention Consultant
169. Florence Gbinigie, PhD Women’s Right Activist, Social crusader
170. George Darlington Hashaka, Founder Executive Chairman
171. Grant Shubin, Senior Legal Advisor
172. Graziella Pavone, Consultant, Human Rights and Gender Equality
173. Hannah Garry, Professor, USC Gould School of Law
174. Hashim Yussif, General Secretary
175. Helena Rodríguez-Bronchú Carceller, International Consultant
176. Imane Hafidi, Employee, Coalition for the International Criminal Court
177. Indai Sajor, Founder, Women’s Tribunal Feminist Collective
178. Iulia Padeanu Mellon, Associate, Foley Hoag
179. Jocelyn Getgen Kestenbaum, Professor of Law, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law
180. Jessica Peake, Director, International and Comparative Law Program, UCLA
181. Julia Basile, Lawyer
182. Julia Tétrault-Provencher, Legal Advisor
183. Justin Makangara, Multimedia Journalist and Documentary Photographer
184. Kamala Poudel, Program Officer, KOSHISH Nepal
185. Karima Bennoune, Lewis M. Simes Professor of Law, University of Michigan Law School, and Former UN Special Rapporteur in the field of cultural rights
186. Kathleen M. Maloney, Visiting Law Professor, Lewis & Clark Law School
187. Kikelomo Oyetunde, Project Coordinator
188. Kirsten Keith, Consultant
189. Lahbib Naaimi, Legal advocate and researcher
190. Larissa Tavares de Freitas, PhD Candidate in International Law, University of Campania “Luigi Vanvitelli”
191. Leila Sadat, James Carr Prof., International Criminal Law, Washington University School of Law
192. Linda Osman, International Human Rights Lawyer and Consultant
193. Lindsay M. Harris, Professor of Law, Director, International Human Rights Clinic, University of San Francisco School of Law
194. Louise Chappell, Scientia Professor, University of New South Wales, Sydney
195. Marcel Bakanga Awachango, Europe Coordinator, Coalition Nationale (CPI RDC)
196. Maria F. Perez Solla, Coordinator, Independent researcher and scholar
197. Marissa Kardon Weber, International Criminal and Human Rights Lawyer
198. Martin Mavenjina, Senior Program Officer, Transitional Justice
199. Melanie O’Brien, Associate Professor of International Law & Deputy Head of School (Research) at UWA Law School
200. Mohammad, Filmmaker
201. Mohamed Aboelazm
202. Monica Castillejos Aragon, Comparative Law and International Law Lecturer, UC Berkeley School of Law
203. Najet Zammouri, Feminist activist and Co-Chair of The Tunisian League for Human Rights Defence
204. Nazlı Töre, Associate Professor, Turkish Council of Women
205. Nerima Were, Human Rights Activist
206. Olympia Bekou, Professor of Public International Law, University of Nottingham, UK
207. Omam Esther, Executive Director, Reach Out Cameroon
208. Parisa Zangeneh, PhD Researcher
209. Patricia Barajas, Student
210. Patsy George, Retired Social Worker
211. Rahela Kaveer, Founder, Afghanistan Women Empowering Organization
212. Rajika L. Shah, Director of the Loyola Justice for Atrocities Clinic (LJAC) at LMU Loyola Law School, Attorney
213. Ramond Helene, Lawyer at the Paris Bar
214. Rebecca A. Shoot, Co-Convener, ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions
215. Robert Hotston, Consulting Investigator
216. Rosemary Grey, Co-Director, Sydney Centre for International Law, Sydney Law School, The University of Sydney
217. Sarah Kay, Human Rights Lawyer
218. Sarah Kihika, Transitional Justice Expert
219. Sarah Naneix, Program Officer
220. Sarah Vaill, Founder and President, Viva Strategy
221. Sareta Ashraph, International Criminal Lawyer, Garden Court Chambers
222. Saugat Subedi, Attorney at Law
223. Sergiy Shtukarin, Human rights consultant
224. Shannon Raj Singh, Independent
225. Sheena Swemmer, Head of Programme, Gender Justice, Centre for Applied Legal Studies, University of the Witwatersrand School of Law
226. Shyamala Alagendra, International Criminal Lawyer, Gender and Child Rights Specialist
227. Sidonia Lucia Kula, Lecturer in Law and Gender
228. Stephen J. Rapp, Former US Ambassador at Large for Global Criminal Justice (2009-2015)
229. Susana Sacouto, Director, War Crimes Research Office of the of the Washington College of Law, American University
230. Valerie Oosterveld, Professor of Law at University of Western Ontario, Faculty of Law
231. Venesa Sulimani, Activist
232. Weihui Wang
233. William Pons, Former Senior Legal Adviser to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities
234. Y Ƀhim Nie, Independent Scholar of the Dega People Genocide
235. Yousuf Syed Khan, Nonresident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council (Strategic Litigation Project)