Atrocity Prevention: A Development Practitioner's Guide
Source: USAID | Year: 2024
This comprehensive guide provides USAID staff with practical information and tools for preventing and responding to mass atrocities through development programming. The guide recognizes that USAID personnel worldwide are uniquely positioned to identify early warning signs of violence against civilians, develop appropriate responses, and coordinate with embassy colleagues as part of whole-of-government efforts. It distinguishes atrocity prevention from broader conflict prevention by focusing specifically on perpetrators and how development tools, combined with diplomatic efforts, can help dissuade potential actors from committing mass atrocities.
The guide aligns with USAID's mission and core values while supporting the comprehensive U.S. government policy outlined in the United States Strategy to Anticipate, Prevent, and Respond to Atrocities (SAPRA). It provides key conceptual frameworks for understanding mass atrocities, including their definitions, contexts, and distinctions from other forms of violence and human rights violations. The guide covers the relationship between mass atrocities and armed conflict, emphasizing that while most atrocities occur within conflict contexts, preventing armed conflict should be a major component of atrocity prevention strategies.
Structured for flexible use based on available time and specific roles, the guide offers targeted reading recommendations ranging from executive summaries for quick reference to comprehensive chapter-by-chapter study for practitioners with atrocity prevention as a specific mandate. It includes practical program options and emphasizes the importance of coordination with USAID's Atrocity Prevention Team and relevant bureaus for additional support and specialized assistance.
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