On 10 November 2020, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres announced the appointment of Alice Wairimu Nderitu of Kenya as Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide. She succeeds Adama Dieng of Senegal.

“Since the tragedies of Rwanda and Srebrenica, the United Nations has taken actions to improve its capacity to prevent genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity. One such step includes the establishment of the position of Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, which I have the honor to hold. This position is tasked with collecting and analyzing information as well as sounding the alarm wherever the risk of genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity exists. Because of this, the United Nations and its Member States should be better equipped to respond in a timely and decisive manner when faced with the risk of these crimes.“

„More than 75 years after the Holocaust and more than 28 years after the genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina, the persistence of speech denying or distorting the historical facts of these events or glorifying their perpetrators is a source of serious concern that the UN system is confronting.“

„Mothers of Srebrenica, I have worked for decades to ensure that women’s contribution to peace and the prevention of atrocity crimes is valued and not ignored. I was taught by John Paul Lederach, the renowned peacebuilder, to explore ideas through the “one thing” question. So, I asked myself today: What one thing of God’s essence would our world miss if, say, the women had not come together to create the Mothers of Srebrenica? This is an important question. Because whatever that one thing is, it might just hold the idea of why we are all here. I have concluded that if the Mothers of Srebrenica had not come together, the world would miss a committed group of people who have made the decision to stand up for accountability, trust building and justice. The Mothers have demonstrated, in word and deed, their commitment to accountability. They protested publicly. They were the victims and survivors who testified before the International Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia at the Hague. They have never given up searching for their loved ones; they have been resolute in their intention to seek truth and justice at the international level. Their role, these women, these heroines, these mothers of Srebrenica, as witnesses to a genocide, is irreplaceable, and the judgments exist not only as judicial precedents but as living documents of examples of judicial justice.“

„Women play an essential role in the prevention and protection of atrocity crimes. As the first woman to serve in the role of Under-Secretary-General and Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, I have made women a key priority in the implementation of my mandate. In 2020, the Secretary-General, in his annual report on the Responsibility to Protect highlighted the role of women in atrocity prevention, setting out the many ways in which women are disproportionately affected by these crimes but also the many examples where women have been the agents of prevention. Your example as Mothers of Srebrenica has inspired many around the world in the role you have played in prevention. (Alice Wairimu Nderitu’s keynote remarks at the Srebrenica Heroines international conference, 10 July 2022, Srebrenica Memorial Center)„

„I hold this mandate because of the failure of the International Community and Member States of the world, to prevent and respond to the Genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda, in 1994 and the Srebrenica Genocide in 1995.“

„Human beings have the capacity for both good and evil. Preventing genocide requires targeted sustained actions that include, pursuing together, as mutually reinforcing imperatives, peace, reconciliation, justice, and countering hate speech.“

„My Office leads the implementation of the United Nations Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, launched by the Secretary-General in 2019. I invite you to take a walk through the Srebrenica Memorial Center where we are today, and see for yourself the fact that hate speech is used to dehumanize those targeted for killing and is a precursor to the commission of international crimes, from the Holocaust to the genocides against the Tutsi in Rwanda and in Srebrenica. Hate speech also prevails in many elections, resulting in tensions, polarization, and sometimes violence.“

„It is important that in Bosnia and Herzegovina there have been steps to criminalize the denial of genocide, war crimes and glorification of war criminals.“

„The International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia determined conclusively that genocide was committed in Srebrenica in 1995. The International Court of Justice as well as national courts have consistently reached the same conclusion. This is indisputable. Yet, denialism and revisionism continue, including from the highest political levels. We know that denialism and revisionism is not only painful, it is a direct barrier to reconciliation. We see this dangerous trend in other contexts too.“

„This is why on 15 June 2022, My Office is launching a new policy paper, a first of its kind for the United Nations, titled Combating Holocaust and Genocide Denial: Protecting Survivors, Preserving Memory, and Promoting Prevention.”

„Accountability for atrocity crimes is important not only for justice for the victims and to rebuild public trust in justice and security institutions, but also to prevent future crimes. We must therefore keep supporting the efforts of the Mothers of Srebrenica for justice and memorialization. The commitment and perseverance of these mothers, our heroines, in searching for their loved ones, and in working to bring perpetrators to justice is defining not only for this country, but also for international justice globally.“

„Many people I met during my visit last year raised concerns about the segregation of the education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina. This included the content of textbooks and design of academic curricula. They were especially concerned that children are taught different versions of the past. Let’s reflect on the contradiction that children across the world, including in my country of birth, Kenya, are taught that a genocide happened in Srebrenica.“

„The education system in Bosnia and Herzegovina segregates children, instils division, increases mistrust, impedes reconciliation and is a long-term threat to stability and security. It perpetuates the notion that there are inherent differences between children. I consider it of paramount importance to promote more inclusive schools as key to trust building and reconciliation in the “

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