Peacebuilding and atrocity prevention are deeply interconnected. They share a focus on tackling the root causes of conflict and violence, strengthening inclusive and accountable institutions, and building cohesive and resilient societies.
Many of the key risk factors for atrocity crimes1—such as weak state structures, exclusionary ideologies, impunity, and intergroup tensions—are the core focus of peacebuilding initiatives. But whereas peacebuilding provides the structural and institutional foundations for preventing conflict and promoting sustainable peace, atrocity prevention offers a specific lens for identifying and targeting the most acute risks of mass violence
[1] “Framework of Analysis for Atrocity Crimes: A Tool for Prevention” (New York: United Nations, 2014), https://www.un.org/en/genocideprevention/documents/about-us/Doc.3_Framework%20of%20Analysis%20for%20Atrocity%20Crimes_EN.pdf.