In 1945, on the ninth day of testimony at the Nuremberg Trials, the prosecutors introduced a damning piece of evidence - a film that showed the gas chambers at Dachau. Nineteen Nazi war criminals were convicted, and the Nuremberg Trials helped establish an international system of criminal law that included the adoption of the Genocide Convention.

 The Genocide Convention has some of the strongest protections under the law for victims, but its effectiveness rests on states fulfilling their obligations to prevent, suppress and punish genocide.

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Sunday, this interactive New York Times article shows the harsh reality of women and children who are fleeing continuous violence brought on by Boko Haram in the Diffa area of Niger. Many settle along the only highway in the region where they are far away from a water source and with limited access to schooling and healthcare.

Monday, the Trump administration announced that it will be terminating funding for the United Nations Population Fund, the leading global provider for family planning services. This is a harsh blow to women and children in the developing world and to advocates for reproductive health care as most of their funding comes from the US and UN.

Monday, President Trump signed an executive order that revokes the 2014 Fair Pay and Safe Workplaces order, which demands fair pay and safe workplaces for women. This order is deemed a counter-progressive measure and negates “hard-fought” victories for women in the workplace.

Tuesday, with recent political decisions made by President Trump undermining U.S.’s leadership in human rights advocacy, former diplomats worry that human rights are not of much importance to the Trump administration. Furthermore, when the US loosens its grip on human rights leadership, many people suffer because of the lack of funding and loss of support for organizations that provide health care.

Friday, following the toxic gas attack in Syria and the UN council meeting to discuss Assad’s regime, the US missile airstrike on a Syrian air base garners outrage as people declare it a violation of international law.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE — April 7, 2017

[NEW YORK, NY] - Today marks the 23rd Anniversary of the start of the Rwanda genocide when 80% of the Tutsi population in Rwanda was exterminated. Over the course of 100 days, up to a half million Tutsi women were raped, sexually mutilated or murdered. The International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda handed down the first conviction for the use of rape as an act of genocide.