Preventing Mass Atrocities: Resilient Societies, State Capacity, and Structural Reform

The spotlight on the Responsibility to Protect (R2P) principle has often centered around the possibility of intervention, but attention must be refocused onto preventive measures that countries can take to stop crimes against humanity.

At its 54th annual Strategy for Peace Conference, the Stanley Center brought together officials, mass atrocity prevention specialists, and civil society representatives to explore mechanisms that states could incorporate into national policies to mitigate mass atrocities.

Participants at the event on October 16–18, 2013, talked about how an atrocity prevention lens might put the broader objectives into focus and also shared their experiences in navigating the myriad challenges in applying prevention priorities.