The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative is a rule of law research and advocacy project of the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute. Started in 2008 by Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, the Initiative has as its goals the study of the need for a comprehensive international convention on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, the analysis of the necessary elements of such a convention, and the drafting of a proposed treaty. They have held several experts' meetings and conferences, and produced a draft treaty, currently being debated by the UN International Law Commission and governments around the world.

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  • The Crimes Against Humanity Initiative was launched in 2008 by the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute at Washington University School of Law
  • To study the need for a treaty on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity,
  • Analyze the elements of such a convention,
  • Prepare a draft treaty, and
  • Support the adoption of a new global treaty on crimes against humanity by the international community

Quotes about

  • Since Nuremberg, crimes against humanity have been offenses at customary international law, but there has never been a standalone treaty for the crime, although the conventions on genocide, apartheid, torture, and enforced disappearance all recognize certain offenses as crimes against humanity. In recent years, work by groups such as the Crimes Against Humanity Initiative have created momentum for the adoption of a dedicated treaty, with the International Law Commission currently undertaking significant work to propose draft articles for such a treaty, incorporating the Rome Statute definition of the crime verbatim.
    The absence of a specialized crimes against humanity treaty is an unjustifiable gap in the framework of international criminal justice, and its future creation, should it come to pass, will be a belated step in the right direction.

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