On 23 March the UN Human Rights Council passed Resolution 37/26 on the Prevention of Genocide. The resolution reaffirms the Council’s support for the Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General on the Prevention of Genocide and encouraged member states to consider the appointment of focal points on the prevention of genocide, who could cooperate and exchange information and best practices among themselves and with the Special Adviser, relevant United Nations bodies, and with regional and sub-regional mechanisms. Resolution 37/26 also urges all states to implement accepted universal periodic review recommendations related to the prevention of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity and requested the Office of the High Commissioner to prepare a summary report on the high-level panel discussion to be submitted at the Council’s 40th session.

The resolution “reiterates the responsibility of each individual State to protect its population from genocide, which entails the prevention of such a crime, including incitement to it, through appropriate and necessary means.”