On 14 July in the United Kingdom's Houses of Parliament, the International Bar Association's Human Rights Institute (IBAHRI), together with the Accountability Unit and the Coalition for Genocide Response , launched a new initiative - the Standing Group on Atrocity Crimes (Standing Group). Comprising a group of leading international lawyers, cross-party parliamentarians and policy advisers, the Standing Group has been set up to convene an independent review of, and provide comprehensive advice on, the UK's approach to atrocity prevention and response.
The Standing Group's work comes at a time when mass atrocities around the world, including the crime of aggression, war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, are becoming increasingly prominent and seemingly permanent. According to the Global Peace Index report from 2024, more than 100 countries had been at least partly involved in some form of external conflict in the past five years, up from 59 in 2008. Between 2000 and 2020, almost one-fifth of countries experienced mass atrocities or raised the serious concern that they could take place.
The Standing Group's aim is to make timely, impactful and expert recommendations to government officials, policymakers and civil society to help bring the UK government closer to creating a comprehensive framework to prevent and respond to international crimes in line with its existing international obligations.
The Parliamentary launch was hosted by Baroness Helena Kennedy of the Shaws LT KC, Director of the IBAHRI and Chair of the Standing Group. She stated: 'Despite many past efforts, the UK currently lacks a cohesive atrocity prevention and response strategy. However, with changing foreign policy priorities globally, the UK is in a prime position to take on greater leadership internationally on this issue and the goal of this Standing Group is to provide meaningful ways for the UK to do so. This independent Standing Group will look to provide a practical and clear route for the Government to properly address atrocity crimes past, present, and future, in a consistent and principled manner.'
Baroness Kennedy continued: 'One of our key priorities will include supporting the passage, following reassessment, of legislative measures on anticipation and prevention such as the Genocide (Prevention and Response) Bill and the Genocide Determination Bill. The international nature of the Standing Group's make-up - comprising leading global voices on international law - reinforces the importance and significance of an international and joined-up approach to atrocity prediction, prevention and response.'
Dr Ewelina Ochab, IBAHRI Senior Programme Lawyer and Co-Founder of the Coalition for Genocide Response, and Aarif Abraham, barrister at Doughty Street Chambers and Founder of the Accountability Unit, act as convenors of the Standing Group and will lead the efforts to review and provide comprehensive advice on the UK's approach to atrocity prevention and response.
Dr Ochab commented: 'Atrocity crimes, including those meeting the legal definition of genocide, are more common than one would think. More than seven decades after the adoption of the Genocide Convention, three decades after the commitment to the Responsibility to Protect, two decades after the establishment of the International Criminal Court, we, as the international community, have been failing victims/survivors globally. We fail victims/survivors in that we continue to ignore early warning signs and risk factors of atrocity as they unravel before our eyes. We fail victims/survivors in that we affirm the perpetrators in the message that they can get away with their crimes. We fail victims/survivors in that we leave them without assistance to reestablish their lives, and under the constant fear of the recurrence of the crimes.'
She added: 'The problem is not going to fix itself. Atrocity crimes prevention cannot be left to chance. Mechanisms for monitoring and analysis are key. Perpetrators will not hand themselves in to the authorities. Proactive documentation, investigation and effective prosecutions must prevail. We cannot wait decades more before taking stock and recognising that more needs to be done. We know it too well now and we must act accordingly.'
Professor Fernand de Varennes, Standing Group Executive Committee Member, Visiting Professor at the University of Sarajevo and the Université Catholique de Lyon, and former United Nations Special Rapporteur on minority issues, commented: 'In a world increasingly buffeted by record-level atrocities, conflicts and displacement, it is more important than ever to reinforce the UK's expertise and leadership in strengthening effective responses to address these challenges. The future, as Gandhi said, depends on what we do in the present: now is the time for the UK to step up and devise strategies towards better understanding how to prevent and respond to atrocities.'
Oleksandra Matviichuk, Standing Group Executive Committee Member and Nobel Peace Prize Laureate (2022), gave a video address at the launch event during which she reiterated the importance of a focus on victims and survivors: 'We must ensure justice for all people, regardless of their social position, the type of crime they have endured, and whether international organisations or media are interested in their case. The life of each person matters.'
As at the launch date, 14 July, the members of the Executive Committee include:
- Baroness Helena Kennedy (Chair);
- Dr Ewelina Ochab (Convener);
- Aarif Abraham (Convener);
- Oleksandra Matviichuk;
- Professor Fernand de Varennes;
- 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, and Special Advisor on Genocide to the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court;
- 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 at the Oxford Institute for Ethics, Law, and Armed Conflict and 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 CEO at the Berghof Foundation;
- Wayne Jordash KC, Managing Partner at Global Rights Compliance;
- Jason McCue, Senior Partner of McCue Jury & Partners and Co-Founder of EBRO Global; and
- 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, Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China; and James Jennion, Co-Director of the Labour Campaign for Human Rights.
