Rights groups launch new people-led campaign to hold Yemen’s peace spoilers to account

In Arab Countries, International Advocacy Program by CIHRS

The “Spoilers of Peace Campaign- 2021: #Shaming_the_Shameless”

Today 21 September marks the launch of a unique and collaborative month-long campaign to achieve  justice and peace in Yemen, entitled “Spoilers of Peace 2021″. Led by the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies in collaboration with Yemeni and international human rights groups, the campaign coincides with tomorrow’s United Nations session devoted to discussing the humanitarian crisis in Yemen, with several governments in attendance. The event will be held on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly and in parallel with the current 48th session of the Human Rights Council.

The over seven-year long war in Yemen has become one of this century’s deadliest conflicts and  the world’s worst man-made humanitarian disaster, with over 20.7 million people in need of aid.  Today, over 400,000 Yemeni children are at risk of dying and 16.2 million people face acute food insecurity. Organizers, including dozens of human rights, humanitarian, and peace advocating groups and individuals, hope the Spoilers of Peace campaign will help reinvigorate international efforts to end the protracted conflict by naming and shaming those who have obstructed peace mediations and negotiations, profited from war, and committed gross human rights violations and atrocities.

“Peace agreements between criminals only means the redistribution of the spoils and impunity for all from accountability. Lasting peace must be built on justice and accountability,” says Neil Hicks, Senior Director of Advocacy at the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies.

Yemeni, regional and international civil society are being invited to submit nominations privately and safely across 10 categories through a secure and encrypted submission form. Categories include top overall spoilers of peace, and top spoilers for causing humanitarian suffering, committing atrocities, engaging in sexual and gender-based violence, and violating journalists’ rights to safe reporting. Details of how to submit nominations are available on the Spoilers of Peace website.

“For every group or person impacted by these heinous crimes or outraged by the impunity their perpetrators hide behind: This is your chance to expose Yemeni and non-Yemeni spoilers to the world, to highlight to the world their obstructive and harmful actions,” explains Hicks.

By 13 October, once nominations have closed, researchers will verify information and prepare dossiers to be submitted to a panel of distinguished judges who will assess the evidence submitted and make the final decisions before identifying the leading spoilers during a live-streamed virtual awards ceremony during October. The judges are: Reed Brody, American human rights lawyer; Baraa Shiban, Yemeni activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee; Alice Mogwe, President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH); and Huda Al-Sarari, Yemeni lawyer and human rights activist and the winner of the Martin Ennals Award 2020.

It is crucial to build momentum for peace in Yemen after seven years of war. Your participation and engagement can help. We are calling all supporters of peace, including journalists, editors, photographers and media personnel who follow or cover Yemen, to engage with the campaign by sharing this announcement, submitting their own nominations here, tuning into the awards ceremony, and publicizing the final list of those most responsible for spoiling efforts to find peace in Yemen.

Highlighting a list of named peace spoilers and shaming them worldwide may pressure others to stop committing violations and serve as a bottom-up mechanism to deter further atrocities.

To learn more about or take part in the “Spoilers of Peace” Campaign, Contact Us via: https://www.spoilersofpeaceawards.org/

Follow the campaign on:

FACEBOOK; TWITTER and INSTAGRAM   #Shaming_the_Shameless


Notes to editors

For interviews with members of the “Judges Panel”, please contact:

*About the judges:

  • Reed Brody: Reed is a human rights lawyer currently serving as an International Commission of Jurists Commissioner. @ReedBrody
  • Baraa Shiban: Baraa is a Yemeni human rights activist and MENA caseworker for the UK-based non-profit Reprieve. @BShtwtr
  • Alice Mogwe: Alice is a Botswana human rights advocate and President of the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH). @AliceMogwe
  • Huda Al-Sarari: Huda is a Yemeni lawyer and human rights activist and the winner of the Martin Ennals Award 2020. @H_alsarare

 

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