Call to Action for the United Nations General Assembly

The UN was established to uphold international peace and security, protect human rights and advance international cooperation in the face of crises. As UN member states convene during the 80th session of the General Assembly, they do so amid a world once again shaken by crises and moral reckoning.

This year also marks the 20th anniversary of the adoption of the Responsibility to Protect (R2P). Galvanized by the global commitment to “never again” fail to halt mass atrocities following the conscience-shocking genocides in Rwanda and Srebrenica, at the 2005 World Summit, member states committed to a collective Responsibility to Protect, affirming their obligation to safeguard populations from atrocity crimes, namely, genocide, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing. The World Summit Outcome Document not only established the R2P principle but also set out a transformative roadmap for international human rights governance, including the creation of the UN Human Rights Council and the Universal Periodic Review. This was a landmark moment in strengthening the global architecture for preventing mass atrocities, reinforcing earlier initiatives such as the UN’s Protection of Civilians mandate in peacekeeping, first authorized by the UN Security Council in 1999 and gradually expanding to become a core component of some of the UN’s most robust peacekeeping missions to date.

Yet, 20 years on, the multilateral context in which these norms and provisions were first introduced has shifted significantly. Today’s international landscape is marked by growing polarization, revanchist nationalism, extreme xenophobia, a deepening crisis of trust – both among member states and between governments and their constituencies – and the erosion of the international legal system. We are once again witnessing protracted atrocity crises devastating populations in Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, Ukraine, the Democratic Republic of Congo and beyond. Therefore, as we reflect on two decades of R2P, it is critical to ask: where do we stand today in fulfilling the UN’s promise of protection and prevention?

The 80th session of the UN General Assembly offers a pivotal opportunity to renew and deepen the UN’s foundational, collective commitments to human rights, peace and security, the rule of law and sustainable development. Amid current introspection and reform processes, including the UN80 Initiative, the international community stands at a crossroads. This is a moment to transform global governance and reinvigorate effective multilateralism to better address ongoing challenges, from conflict and climate change to the rapid expansion of digital technologies that pose new risks to civilian protection. Upholding protection must remain a central measure of the UN’s legitimacy.

In this context, the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect (ICR2P) urges all UN member states to make concrete commitments during the 80th session of the General Assembly. These commitments are detailed in our new Call to Action for the UN General Assembly, which outlines essential steps to uphold the UN’s core principles of protection, prevention and accountability.

Read and download the full Call to Action here: Call to Action for the United Nations General Assembly during its 80th session from the International Coalition for the Responsibility to Protect.

Copyright © 2025 Global Centre for the Responsibility to Protect, All rights reserved.