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We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, welcome the official start of preparatory work for a Crimes Against Humanity Convention. This is a significant opportunity to ensure an inclusive instrument that addresses long-standing gaps in the protection against gender-based crimes, particularly for women and girls. We urge states to adopt a gender-competent and intersectional negotiation process and convention, which is shaped by victims’ multidimensional experiences. We call on all states to take comprehensive action, including: Recognize all gender-based harms that meet the crimes-against-humanity threshold, by codifying crimes such as: Forced Marriage: as compelling a person into a conjugal union through force, threat, coercion or inability to consent, consistent with established jurisprudence. Reproductive Violence: as intentional acts or omissions that violate a person’s reproductive autonomy. Gender Apartheid: as inhumane acts committed within and to maintain an institutionalized regime of systemic gender-based oppression and domination. Slave Trade: as acts involved in bringing a person into, and maintaining them in, a situation of slavery, and reflecting its peremptory status. Center victims and survivors in the convention: The convention should deliver justice that people can access and trust—not a system that looks strong on paper but leaves victims behind. Victims’ perspectives, including those from marginalized groups, should shape the treaty’s content, particularly with regard to prevention, accountability, and reparations. States should conduct safe consultations with victims on the text—including the definition of victim—and provide procedural accommodations to ensure their meaningful participation throughout the negotiations, implementation and monitoring. The text should define victims to include at least all persons who suffer harm from acts that constitute crimes against humanity in line with international standards and provide for prompt, full, and effective reparations. Embed gender-competence across the convention’s content and process to promote equality and prevent discrimination, such as by ensuring: Gender-inclusive language is used throughout the text of the convention. An approach that is grounded in intersectionality and gender inclusivity guides all sections of the convention, including provisions on definitions, procedure and enforcement. A strong non-discrimination and substantive equality clause and strong provisions for monitoring to promote implementation, progressive interpretation, and compliance are included. In the text, gender is understood in line with current international human rights and criminal law. The negotiations incorporate gender expertise and robust civil society participation, intersessional meetings on gender justice, and gender parity across delegations. See list of signatories

We, the undersigned organizations and individuals, represent civil society organizations, nongovernmental organizations, 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.

In negotiating the Crimes Against Humanity Convention, states must take a survivor-centric approach. Centering survivors is essential to minimize and repair the harms caused by crimes against humanity, treat survivors with dignity and respect, and facilitate the healing process and the restoration of their autonomy and rights.

The Draft Addendum makes welcome contributions to recognizing a fuller scope of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence (GBV), acknowledging that “conflict-related gender violence is no longer confined to acts purely sexual in nature” and includes many forms, including physical, moral, psychological and transgenerational forms of violence.

Originally posted by The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights The Honorable Chip Roy, ChairmanThe Honorable Mary Gay Scanlon, Ranking MemberSubcommittee on the Constitution and Limited GovernmentCommittee on the JudiciaryU.S. House of RepresentativesWashington, DC 20515 Dear Chairman Roy and Ranking Member Scanlon: On behalf of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights and the undersigned 257 civil rights, faith, and nonprofit organizations, we write to express our profound concern about tomorrow’s hearing and the dangerous pattern it represents. We stand united in condemning this effort to discredit an institution that has worked tirelessly to serve our communities, protect our rights, and advance opportunity for all. We believe that everyone in this country deserves to be treated with dignity—free from discrimination, with real freedom and opportunity—no matter their race, gender, zip code, or background. This promise, however, is not self-executing. It relies on everyday people and community organizations to stand ready to uphold it when it comes under strain. This hearing is not about any single organization—it is about a broader effort to use government power to silence people. The government is targeting groups that check abuses of power and that ensure that democracy belongs to all of us. This includes civil rights, community-based, humanitarian, and faith-based organizations that speak from deeply held convictions and provide essential services across the country. This precedent should concern every Member of Congress regardless of party. The same tools used to target one set of organizations today can tomorrow be turned against anyone that a future Congress or administration views as hostile to its political agenda. Across nearly every sector of public life, the government is rolling back civil rights protections while unlawfully targeting the organizations that defend and strengthen those rights. Civil rights safeguards are being dismantled in voting, education, housing, employment, healthcare, and more. At the same time, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and watchdogs that challenge discrimination and government overreach are being targeted in an effort to push them out of the public square—eroding both legal protections and democratic oversight. We have witnessed: Threats to designate civil rights and community groups as “domestic terrorists” and revoke their nonprofit status; Grants terminated without justification or due process; Targeted government investigations aimed at discouraging lawful speech and chilling public participation; Public intimidation campaigns designed to isolate and discredit community organizations; Pressure on law firms, media, corporations, faith leaders, and nonprofits to sever long-standing relationships with vulnerable communities for fear of government retaliation; and Civil rights laws weaponized against the very communities they were designed to protect. The tactic is familiar: intimidate independent voices, deflect from the real issues facing the country, and mete out retribution on anyone who dares to challenge those in power. Our nation has seen, across different eras and under administrations of both parties, how governmental power can be misused to suppress dissent—from McCarthy-era investigations to federal surveillance and harassment of civil rights, religious, labor, and anti-war leaders through efforts like the FBI’s COINTELPRO program. At stake is whether people—regardless of their viewpoint—can express themselves without fear of government retaliation. If organizations and people can be targeted for their analysis, advocacy, or disagreement with those in power, then none are safe. If we don’t speak out against these attacks, it will clear the path for the dismantling of freedom of speech and civil rights and the repression of dissent. We urge members of this Committee to reject the abuse of congressional oversight to target organizations for their lawful work. Congress should instead focus on the serious challenges facing the American people. Respectfully submitted, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights 100% Democracy: An Initiative for Universal Voting18 Million Rising50501 The People’s MovementACLU of New JerseyAdvancement ProjectAFL-CIOAfrican American Policy ForumAFT | Education, Health Care, Public ServicesAll Voting is LocalAlliance for JusticeAmerican Association of People with DisabilitiesAmerican Association of University Women (AAUW)American AtheistsAmerican Civil Liberties UnionAmerican Constitution SocietyAmerican Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME)American Friends Service CommitteeAmerican Humanist AssociationAmerican OversightAmericans for Democratic Action (ADA)Americans for Financial ReformAmericans United for Separation of Church and StateAmnesty International USAAndrew Goodman FoundationArab American Institute (AAI)Asian Americans Advancing Justice – AAJCAsian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVote)Asian Law AllianceAssociation for Special Children and FamiliesAutistic Self Advocacy NetworkAvodahBazelon Center for Mental Health LawBedrockBend the ArcBend the Arc: Jewish ActionBlack Voters Matter FundBrennan Center for JusticeCAIR-GeorgiaCampaign Legal CenterCenter for American ProgressCenter for Constitutional RightsCenter for Justice and AccountabilityCenter for Law and Social Policy (CLASP)Center for Media and DemocracyCenter for Reproductive RightsCenter for Responsible LendingCenter on Faith and JusticeCenterLinkCharity & Security NetworkCitizens for Responsibility and Ethics in WashingtonCivil Rights Movement Archive (CRMA)Clean Elections TexasClearinghouse on Women’s IssuesClimate Defense ProjectCoalition of Black Trade UnionistsCoalition on Human NeedsCommon CauseCommunities United Against Police BrutalityCompassion & ChoicesCongregation of Our Lady of Charity of the Good Shepherd, U.S. ProvincesConstitutional Accountability CenterCouncil of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)Dayenu: A Jewish Call to Climate ActionDeclaration for American DemocracyDefending Rights & DissentDemocracy AllianceDemocracy Defenders ActionDemocracy ForwardDemosDesiree AllianceEdTrustEducation Law CenterEduColorEndangered Species CoalitionEqual Ground Action FundEqual Justice SocietyEqual Rights AdvocatesEquality CaliforniaEverybody Votes CampaignFair CountFair Elections CenterFair Fight ActionFairVoteFamily EqualityFamily Voices NJFeminist MajorityFeminist Majority FoundationFFRF Action FundFree Press ActionFreedom From Religion FoundationFreethought SocietyFriends Committee on National LegislationFunders for JusticeGeorgia Coalition for the Peoples AgendaGeorgia Conservation VotersGet FreeGLAADGLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD Law)Global Justice CenterGrassroots InternationalGreenpeace USAHaitian Bridge AllianceHispanic FederationHispanics in PhilanthropyHouston Immigration Legal Services CollaborativeHuman Rights CampaignHyams FoundationImpact FundIndivisibleIndivisible Santa FeInstitute for Research & Education on Human RightsInterfaith AllianceInterfaith Center on Corporate ResponsibilityJapanese American Citizens LeagueJewish Community ActionJewish Council for Public AffairsJewish Labor CommitteeJust Future ProjectJustice ConnectionJustice2Jobs SacramentoJuvenile Law CenterKataly FoundationKids Passport to AdventureLabor Council for Latin American Advancement (LCLAA)LatinoJustice PRLDEFLawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under LawLawyers for Good GovernmentLeadership Conference of Women ReligiousLeague of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)League of Women Voters of the United StatesLegal Aid at WorkLegal Defense Fund (LDF)Legal Rights CenterLGBTQ Center OCMALDEF (Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund)Matthew Shepard FoundationMi Familia VotaMovement Advancement ProjectMovement for Black LivesMovement Strategy CenterMoveOnMuslim AdvocatesMuslim Public Affairs CouncilNational Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good ShepherdNational Association of Social WorkersNational Black Child Development InstituteNational Black Sisters ConferenceNational CAPACDNational Center for Law and Economic JusticeNational Coalition for the HomelessNational Coalition on Black Civic ParticipationNational Committee for Responsive PhilanthropyNational Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low-income clients)National Council of Jewish WomenNational Disability Rights Network (NDRN)National Education AssociationNational Employment Law ProjectNational Employment Lawyers AssociationNational Health Law ProgramNational Hispanic Media CoalitionNational Homelessness Law CenterNational Housing Law ProjectNational Institute for Workers’ RightsNational Institute of Reproductive HealthNational Latina Institute for Reproductive JusticeNational LGBTQ Task Force Action FundNational Network of Abortion FundsNational Organization For WomenNational Partnership for Women and FamiliesNational Tongan American SocietyNational Urban LeagueNational Voter CorpsNational Women’s Law CenterNative American Rights FundNBJCNETWORK Lobby for Catholic Social JusticeNew Jersey Institute for Social JusticeNew Jewish NarrativeNew Mexico Environmental Law CenterNew York Jewish AgendaNew York Lawyers for the Public InterestNorth Carolina Asian Americans TogetherNurses for Sexual and Reproductive HealthOCA – Asian Pacific American AdvocatesOCA – Asian Pacific American Advocates Greater Clevelandone-n-tenOnyx ImpactOur Family CoalitionOxfam AmericaPax Christi USAPeople For the American WayPeople Power UnitedPeople’s Parity ProjectPERILPFLAG NationalPittsburgh Human Rights City AlliancePlanned Parenthood Action FundPoverty & Race Research Action CouncilPowerSwitch ActionPregnancy JusticeProject On Government OversightProtect DemocracyPublic CitizenPublic JusticePublic Rights ProjectRace ForwardReproactionReproductive Freedom for AllReproductive Justice Action CollectiveRobert & Ethel Kennedy Human Rights CenterSAGESalvation and Social JusticeSanta Clara Law – International Human Rights ClinicSecular Student AllianceSecure Elections NetworkSEIUShriver Center on Poverty LawSilver State EqualitySojournersSouthern Birth Justice NetworkSPAN Parent Advocacy NetworkStand Up AmericaSTAND UP MOBILETeaching for ChangeThe Advocates for Human RightsThe Alliance for Diplomacy and JusticeThe Arc of the United StatesThe Carter CenterThe Center for HIV Law and Policy (CHLP)The Center for Learner EquityThe Chamberlain NetworkThe Nexus ProjectThe Ocean ProjectThe Redwood Justice FundThe Restaurant Opportunities Center of Pennsylvania (ROC PA)The Secular Coalition for AmericaThe Sikh CoalitionThe Voter Participation CenterThe Workers CircleThurgood Marshall Civil Rights CenterTidesTransAthleteTransgender Law CenterTransparency International U.S.T’ruah: The Rabbinic Call for Human RightsU.S.-Canada Human Rights Cities AllianceUnidosUSUnitarian Universalist Service CommitteeUnited Church of Christ Media Justice MinistryVera Institute of JusticeVoices for ProgressVoto LatinoWar Prevention InitiativeWE ACT for Environmental JusticeWelcoming AmericaWestern States CenterWin Without War

Enumerate the Slave Trade in Article 2 of the Draft Articles on the Prevention and Punishment of Crimes Against Humanity.

Reproductive autonomy is an individual’s ability to exercise agency over their fertility, including their choice about whether and in what circumstances to reproduce. It is inseparable from human dignity and bodily autonomy, and its violation has profound physical, psychological, social, and economic consequences for affected individuals, families, and communities. Rights related to reproductive autonomy are protected in international and regional human rights instruments.

We the undersigned 115 reproductive health, rights, and justice organizations are dedicated to the protection and realization of human rights for all people, and we are deeply concerned about the United States Government’s decision to withdraw from the Universal Periodic Review (UPR) process, an unprecedented step that signals a worrying retreat from our human rights obligations and the global mechanisms of accountability.

Originally published by Democracy Defenders Fund We are a coalition of nonprofit and nonpartisan organizations formed to champion causes dear to all Americans. We work in communities across the country to protect our air and water, our right to vote, to worship, and to organize; we fight for consumers, workers, and our children; we advocate for civil and human rights at home and abroad; we have made it safer to drive on our roads, easier to start a business, and healthier to live in our cities. We span the full ideological spectrum. And today, we stand together for our democracy and in solidarity with the nonprofit groups unjustly and illegally targeted by the Trump administration, including in a new September 25 presidential memorandum. We of course unequivocally reject political violence. But we won’t mince words. No president–Democrat or Republican–should have the power to punish nonprofit organizations simply because he disagrees with them. That is not about protecting Americans or defending the public interest. It is about using unchecked power to silence opposition and voices he disagrees with. That is un-American and flies in the face of the Constitution, including the First Amendment bar on targeting organizations for their advocacy. Charities perform crucial functions in every community across our country, including providing healthcare, housing, education, religious services, food and water, and so much more. Like other nonprofits, the organizations threatened by President Trump have a mission to serve the public good and are composed of everyday people fighting for dignity, safety, and opportunity. This attack on nonprofits is not happening in a vacuum, but as a part of a wholesale offensive against organizations and individuals that advocate for ideas or serve communities that the president finds objectionable, and that seek to enforce the rule of law against the federal government. Whether the target is a church, an environmental or good government group, a refugee assistance organization, university, a law firm, or a former or current government official, weaponizing the executive branch to punish their speech or their views is illegal and wrong. It is also an attack on the very notion that government power must serve the people, not those in office. Charitable organizations serve our communities in various ways, playing a central role in public protection, health, accountability, anti-discrimination, and in creating the moral fabric of our nation. That is, of course, precisely why this administration is targeting them. They know that the organizations they are attacking exist to lift up the voices of everyday Americans and shine the spotlight of accountability on those who seek to abuse power. Political violence is unacceptable. But efforts by the president of the United States to defund, discredit, and dismantle nonprofit groups he simply disagrees with are reprehensible and dangerous—a violation of a fundamental freedom in America. This Administration is trying to bully people into silence but speaking out is, and has always been, our collective mission. We stand with those wrongly targeted and with each other. No exceptions.