The Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes, an independent initiative supported by the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI) that aims to strengthen the United Kingdom's approach to atrocity prevention and response, has issued a call for written submissions. The call forms part of an independent review being undertaken by the Standing Group. This review, supported by expert-led evidence, will assist in the articulation and development of recommendations for a comprehensive and cohesive UK framework to address atrocity-related issues.
The Standing Group welcomes submissions of written evidence on the key issues under review, specifically regarding the UK government's anticipation, prevention and response to international crimes, as well as resource mobilisation. Written submissions are invited from experts across the world, including individuals and organisations with first-hand and/or specialised knowledge of atrocity anticipation, prevention and response. This may include members of victim/survivor communities, the United Nations and other international or regional bodies, government departments, as well as academics, journalists, civil society actors, legal practitioners and non-governmental organisations. Select written submissions may be published, with consent, at the discretion of the Executive Committee of the Standing Group.
In addition to the call for written submissions, in April or May 2026 the Standing Group will organise two to three days of oral hearings with experts to further examine the issues under consideration. The final report, gathering the written submissions and oral hearings, is expected to be published in September 2026.
The Standing Group was launched on 14 July in the UK's Houses of Parliament in London as a joint initiative by the IBAHRI, the Accountability Unit and the Coalition for Genocide Response . Comprising a group of leading international lawyers, cross-party parliamentarians and policy advisers, the Standing Group was formed to convene an independent review of, and provide comprehensive advice on, the UK's approach to atrocity prevention and response. The group is chaired by IBAHRI Director Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, and co-convened by Dr Ewelina Ochab, IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer.
The members of the Executive Committee include:
- Baroness Helena Kennedy LT KC, Chair
- Dr Ewelina Ochab, Co-convener
- Aarif Abraham, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and Co-convener
- Oleksandra Matviichuk, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2022)
- Professor Fernand de Varennes, Visiting Professor at the University of Sarajevo and the Université Catholique de Lyon, and former UN Special Rapporteur on minority issues
- Professor Payam Akhavan LLM SJD (Harvard) OOnt FRSC, Professor of International Law, Senior Fellow and the inaugural holder of the Chair in Human Rights at Massey College, University of Toronto
- Professor Christine Chinkin CMG FBA, Emerita Professor of International Law, Professorial Research Fellow and Founding Director of the Centre of Women Peace & Security at the London School of Economics
- Federica D'Alessandra, Deputy Director of the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict and founding Executive Director of the Oxford Programme on International Peace and Security
- Alistair Fernie, Chief Executive at The Elders Foundation
- Andrew Gilmour CMG, Senior Adviser at the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue, former UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights (2016-2019) and former Executive Director at the Berghof Foundation
- Wayne Jordash KC, President of Global Rights Compliance
- Jason McCue, Senior Partner of McCue Jury & Partners and Co-Founder of EBRO Global
- Rupert Skilbeck, Director of REDRESS
As of 14 July 2025, the Advisory Board Members are: Lord David Alton KCSG; Lord Alfred Dubs; Richard Foord MP; Baroness Arminka Helić; Baroness Fiona Hodgson CBE; Blair McDougall MP; Brendan O'Hara MP; Baroness Liz Sugg CBE; David Taylor MP; Melanie Ward MP; Luke de Pulford, Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; and James Jennion, Co-Director of the Labour Campaign for Human Rights.
