What is the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide?

The Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide is an international treaty that seeks to prevent and punish acts of genocide throughout the world. It was adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in December 1948 and entered into force in January 1951. The Convention defines genocide as "any of the following acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnic, racial, or religious group". This includes killing members of the group; causing serious physical or mental harm; deliberately inflicting conditions calculated to bring about the physical destruction of the group; imposition of measures intended to prevent births; and forcefully transferring children of the group to another group. In the United States, the Convention is implemented through the International Law Enforcement Act and the Foreign Relations Authorization Act. These acts make it a federal crime to commit genocide under the Convention and allow the United States to take criminal action against those who do so. Additionally, the U.S. Department of State has been designated as the agency responsible for overseeing the U.S. implementation of the Convention. South Carolina has also enacted its own rules on the prevention of genocide. These rules provide additional protection for individuals, communities, and humanitarian organizations that work to address issues of genocide in the state. These state rules require all government agencies to take immediate and effective steps to prevent and punish genocide in South Carolina, and to ensure that the people of South Carolina are aware of their rights to be protected from genocide.

What is the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide?

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