Revisiting the International Prevention of Atrocities Agenda: Breaking Through the Silos of Educational, Developmental and Political UN Mechanisms

Genocide and harrowing atrocities have brought insurmountable suffering to millions of people in the last decade. They have also highlighted the need to invoke the atrocity prevention agenda, developed and nurtured in the post–Cold War era. Yet, despite putting prevention at the top of UN agenda priorities, the international community has insufficiently discharged its obligations to prevent atrocities.

This book concentrates on the concept of structural prevention, which has become more dominant in the UN atrocity prevention agenda in the last years. It argues that its scope should be widened to include peacebuilding and peace education. The study is structured to build a cumulative argument, beginning with a historical and conceptual overview of the UN’s atrocity prevention agenda, distinguishing between structural and operational prevention. Subsequent chapters examine the roles of peacebuilding and peace education, both separately and in tandem, culminating in a proposal for a synergistic framework for integrating these mechanisms into the broader prevention agenda. The final chapter synthesizes the book’s findings and reinforces its call for institutional coordination and strategic engagement across UN entities.

Presenting an interdisciplinary analysis, the book will resonate with readers seeking to understand and improve the mechanisms of atrocity prevention in a fragmented global landscape. It will be of particular interest to academics, researchers and policymakers working in the areas of Transitional Justice, Human Rights, International Criminal Law, International Relations and Genocide Studies.