Photo by Basil D Soufi, via Wikimedia Commons. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

We, the undersigned organisations and individuals, represent civil society organisations, nongovernmental organisations, victim/survivor associations, and academic institutions from around the world. We have technical expertise on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity, including their adjudication before national and international courts and tribunals. Many of us have also directly experienced or witnessed the commission of crimes against humanity. We welcome the opening of the Preparatory Committee for the Conference of Plenipotentiaries on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes against Humanity, a vital step towards closing a long-standing accountability gap in international law.

We commend the inclusion of non-governmental organisations in consultative status with the Economic and Social Council (“ECOSOC”) in the Preparatory Committee and the Conference of Plenipotentiaries as observers under Resolution 79/122.¹. However, we regret the absence of a clear proviso ensuring the equal participation of non-ECOSOC-accredited organisations and individuals with relevant experiences and expertise. Their participation is essential to ensure a robust treaty process and final outcome. Broader participation will strengthen the diversity of voices in the room, including survivors and others who are often underrepresented; bolster the transparency and credibility of the treaty-making process; and facilitate a victim and survivor-centric, intersectional, and gender-competent approach to the treaty.

We urge Member States to support the full, meaningful, and safe participation of civil society throughout the preparation and negotiation of the treaty, in accordance with international law and UN practice and guidance.² This requires that ECOSOC-accredited organisations be able to participate in a meaningful manner,³ and that, in addition, non-ECOSOC-accredited organisations and individuals be able to do so as well, with the same rights of participation. Taking into account the principles of transparency, accessibility, diversity, equitable geographical representation, and gender parity, the possible modalities for all civil society participation should include, at a minimum, oral interventions, individually and jointly, written statements and other documentation made available to all delegates and observers in-person and online, remote participation and streaming options, and intersessional consultations. Further, due effort should be made to ensure and facilitate broad civil society participation by maintaining flexibility in registration deadlines and allocations. These modalities are necessary in light of the obstacles often faced by civil society, including resource constraints, travel restrictions, physical, communication, and other accessibility barriers, and state reprisals.

During the eightieth session of the Sixth Committee, more than 50 Member States noted that civil society had already “enriched the [crimes against humanity treaty] process with invaluable

expertise,” including in the very call for a treaty and in “legal analysis, practical recommendations, and innovative ideas for the content and structure of a future convention.”⁴

We respectfully urge Member States to facilitate a transparent, inclusive, and effective procedure for our continued participation, in recognition of our shared commitment to the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity. 

Click here to see the full statement and signatories. 

Sincerely,

Organisational Signatories (160)

8AM MEDIA

Abuja Network of NGO

ACPDH Burundi

Action des Chr.tiens Activites des Droits de l'Homme . Shabunda (ACADHOSHA)

Action pour la Protection des Droits de l’Enfant (APDE)

ADIFEVEA World

Afghan Women’s Network International (AWNI)

Africa Legal Aid (AFLA)

African Centre for Justice and Peace Studies

African Law Foundation (AFRILAW)

Al-Haq

ALTSEAN-Burma

Aman against Discrimination (AAD)

Amnesty International

Arus Pelangi

ASEAN Civil Society Conference/ASEAN People’s Forum Philippines 2026

Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR)

Asia Justice Coalition

Asia-Pacific Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

Asian Muslim Action Network (AMAN Indonesia)

Asian Resource Foundation (ARF)

Avaaz

Azadi Network

Bangladesh Society of International Law

Banglar Manabadhikar Suraksha Mancha (MASUM)

Banu Anvari and Hejran Handicrafts Company

Benghazi Center for Migration and Asylum Consulting and Research

Biladi Human Rights Observatory

Boston University International Human Rights Clinic

Brij Peace Empowerers

Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies (CIHRS)

Center for Gender & Refugee Studies

Center for Human Rights Advocacy

Center for Migrant Advocacy, Philippines

Center for Peace Education and Community Development

Centro de Investigaci.n y Promoci.n de los Derechos Humanos, CIPRODEH

Civil Centre for Peace, Justice and Development

Clinique de droit international p.nal et humanitaire, Universit. Laval

Coalition for Genocide Response

Coalition for the International Criminal Court

Coalition for the Prevention of Hazara Genocide (CPHG)

Coalition of Somali HRDs (CSHRD)

Collectif des familles de disparus en Alg.rie / F.d.ration eurom.diterran.enne contre les

disparitions forc.es

Comrades of Rohingya Youths (CRY)

Concern for Integrated Development

Conference of Non Governmental Organizations, Nigeria

Congr.s Mondial Amazigh / Amazigh World Congress

Congress of Nations and States

Dameer Foundation for Rights and Freedoms

Darfur Network for Human Rights

Development for Peace Education

DITSHWANELO - The Botswana Centre for Human Rights

Divine Foundation for Disabled Persons

Edge Hopebuilders for Youth and Women Initiative

Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Woman

Educational and Health Organization for Afghanistan Women

Egbema Clean and Green Initiative

Egyptian Initiative for Personal Rights (EIPR)

Emergent Justice Collective

End Gender Apartheid Campaign

European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR)

Every Woman

Farida Global Organization

Foundation "OPORA in Poland”

Foundation for Human Rights Initiative (FHRI)

Foundation for the Promotion of Rights

Foundation Sunflowers

Fundaci.n Internacional Baltasar Garz.n –FIBGAR–

Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect

Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI)

Global Justice Center

Global Rights Advocacy

Global Survivors Fund

Gulf Centre for Human Rights

Health Awareness and Rural Girls Education Initiative

Hemayat Hope

Her Future Afghanistan

Human Asia

Human Rights Advocacy Centre Ghana

Human Rights Watch

ImPact Coalition on Strengthening International Judicial Institutions

Independent Medico Legal Unit

Initiative Africaine pour le d.veloppement durable

Inmaa for Development

Interest of Justice

International Association of Democratic Lawyers (IADL)

International Bar Association (IBA)

International Bar Association’s Human Rights Institute

International Commission of Jurists

International Community for Georgia Development and the Progress

International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)

International Helping for the Young

International Humanitarian Law and Youth Initiative (IHLYI)

International Service for Human Rights (ISHR)

International Truth and Justice Project

Investigator Organization for the Rule of Law

Justice Access Point (JAP)

Justitia Center for the Legal Protection of Human Rights in Algeria

Kalyanamitra

Keen and Care Initiative (KCI)

Kenya Human Rights Commission

KINNAPA Development Programme

Konfederation of Indonesian People's Movement

LAKAS

Lawyers for Justice in Libya

Lawyers’ Rights Watch Canada

League for the Defence of Human Rights in Iran (LDDHI)

Legal Action Worldwide

Legal Watch and Human Rights Initiative

Lembaga Partisipasi Perempuan

MADRE

Mahabad Organization for Human Rights

Malala Fund

Manushya Foundation

Marie-Claire N. Kuja Foundation

Marvelous, Inc.

MBAKITA-Mission of Beneficence Agriculture of Kubango Inclusive Technologies and

Environment

Myanmar Ethnic Rohingya Human Rights Organization in Malaysia (MERHROM)

National Forum for Human Rights

Network Support for Peace Education (NeSPE)

Observatoire des droits de l'homme au Rwanda- ODHR

Organization for Policy Research and Development Studies (DROPS)

Parliamentarians for Global Action

Peace and Justice Network

People for Equality and Relief in Lanka (PEARL)

Perkumpulan Suaka Untuk Perlindungan Hak Pengungsi (SUAKA)

Peterborough Pollinators

Progressive Voice

Protection Approaches

REDRESS

Repro Justice Congo

Rohingya Green Nature Society

Safe Empowered Communities Association

SAHR

Society for Orphaned Armenian Relief

Society for Threatened Peoples

Solidarit. des Femmes pour le D.veloppement Int.gral (SOFEDI Asbl)

Strategic Litigation Project

Synergy for Justice

Syria Justice and Accountability Center (SJAC)

Tanzania Community Health Information and Support (TaCHIS)

The Common Good Foundation, Inc.

The Congress of Nations and States

The West African Transitional Justice Centre

Transitional Justice Working Group (TJWG)

TRIAL International

Union des Amis Socio Culturels d'Action en Developpement (UNASCAD)

Urban Morgan Institute for Human Rights

Visions for Development and Human Rights

Voices for Change (Mgbakor Development and Relief Initiative)

Water Aid for Afghanistan (WAFA)

Women Child Youth Health and Education Initiative, Nigeria

Women's Action Network Sri Lanka

Women’s Association for Women and Victims’ Empowerment (WAVE Gambia)

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom UK (WILPF UK)

World Court of Human Rights Coalition

World Institute on Disability

World Peace Alliance

World Service Authority