Genocide Intervention Network Inc.

Overview

The Genocide Intervention Network Inc. was a U.S. nonprofit organization focused on empowering individuals and communities to prevent and stop genocide. The organization aimed to create a permanent anti-genocide constituency, leveraging grassroots movements and advocacy to influence policy. Established as the Genocide Intervention Fund in 2004 by two Swarthmore College students, Mark Hanis and Andrew Sniderman, it officially became the Genocide Intervention Network in 2005.

Mission and Activities

The Genocide Intervention Network's mission was influenced by the "Responsibility to Protect" doctrine, advocating for international intervention in cases of genocide and mass atrocities. The organization defined genocide and mass atrocities as systematic acts of killing, severe torture, or rape on a massive scale. It worked closely with policy experts, world leaders, and activists to create political will for genocide prevention.

Programs and Initiatives

• 1-800-GENOCIDE Hotline: Launched in 2007, this hotline enabled constituents to lobby elected officials directly. It contributed to significant policy changes, including the passage of the Sudan Accountability and Divestment Act and the funding of peacekeeping missions in Darfur.
• Carl Wilkens Fellowship: A year-long program aimed at building an engaged anti-genocide community. It was named after Carl Wilkens, the only American to remain in Rwanda during the genocide in 1994. The program trained individuals to build peaceful communities worldwide but ceased due to financial constraints in 2012.
• STAND (A Student Anti-Genocide Coalition): Initially part of GI-Net, STAND became an independent student-run organization focused on grassroots campaigns against genocide. It grew from a Georgetown University initiative to a national movement with chapters across the U.S.
• Sudan Divestment Task Force/Conflict Risk Network: This initiative led successful divestment campaigns, influencing investment policies in several states and countries to withdraw financial support from the Sudanese government.

Merger and Legacy

In 2011, the Genocide Intervention Network merged with the Save Darfur Coalition to form United to End Genocide, a new entity continuing their combined efforts to prevent and stop genocide worldwide.