London, United Kingdom, October 17, 2022 — In response to the publication of the International Development Committee’s report, ‘From Srebrenica to a safer tomorrow: Preventing future mass atrocities around the world,’ and following verbal evidence to the Committee earlier this year, Denisa Delic, Director of Advocacy at the International Rescue Committee UK, said,
“The International Rescue Committee welcomes this report and its recommendations. We are living through an age of impunity, with increasing violations of international humanitarian law, including attacks on civilians and the denial of aid. Without action, these trends can lead to increased instability, violence, and atrocities.
A robust Atrocity Prevention strategy will strengthen the UK’s capacity to uphold responsibilities to prevent atrocities and deliver on, existing priorities such as preventing sexual violence and civilian protection. UK leadership will be integral to driving accountability for international humanitarian law violations and ensuring aid funding and humanitarian access are maintained in fragile and conflict affected states. Throughout these efforts, the role of local actors in prevention, monitoring and response, will be critical.
Only by investing in the places that drive the current historic levels of global humanitarian need, and the people best placed to prevent it, will there be a chance of reducing the scale of human suffering. We urge the Government to act on this Report’s recommendations.”