The federal government seeks to make “Never Again” not just a slogan, but impactful public policy.
On Wednesday, the U.S. State Department released a statement that it had “submitted the latest annual report to Congress consistent with Section 5 of the Elie Wiesel Genocide and Atrocities Prevention Act.”
The document “chronicles whole-of-government work,” which includes encouraging programs to prevent atrocities, protecting at-risk civilians and prosecuting those who commit “the most heinous crimes.”
“Preventing atrocities, wherever and whenever possible, remains a core U.S. national security interest,” per the State Department.
One of the developments the report details includes the new use of the U.S. Atrocity Risk Assessment Framework. Gender-based violence, including rape during war, is also one of the State Department’s primary concerns. The work of the Conflict Observatory program in Ukraine documenting realities on the ground also receives attention.
The report further shows how the government works to implement the U.S. Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent and Respond to Atrocities.