INTRODUCTION AND BACKGROUND

1. 1. In Spring 2008, under the direction of Professor Leila Nadya Sadat, the Whitney R. Harris World Law Institute of Washington University School of Law embarked upon a project to study the need for a comprehensive convention on crimes against humanity, analyze the necessary elements of such a convention and draft a proposed treaty. Since that time, this Crimes Against Humanity Initiative has proceeded in four phases, over a period of three years, as follows:

• Phase I. Preparation of the project and methodological development, including the formation of the Initiative's Steering Committee;

• Phase II. Private study of the project through the commission of working papers by leading experts, the convening of expert meetings and collaborative discussion of draft treaty language at expert meetings held in St. Louis and The Hague;

• Phase III. Public discussion of the project through written consultation with additional experts and at an international conference convened in Washington, D.C. from March 11–12, 2010; and

• Phase IV. Widening consultations with diplomats, academics and members of civil society, and organizing and participating in regional conferences as part of a global awareness campaign focusing on the prevention and punishment of crimes against humanity.

1. 2. In addition to other public outreach efforts, the expert papers, the Proposed Convention resulting from the work completed in Phases I-III and this Comprehensive History have been published in this volume.

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