Introduction to the Research. The rise of ‘international justice’, a field broadly concerned with the imperative of securing accountability for atrocity crimes, has led to much reflection on the role of international institutions in addressing impunity gaps.1 This literature – now considerable - has included not only international criminal tribunals tasked with interpreting and applying the laws of individual criminal responsibility, but also other courts – including the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and regional human rights mechanisms – in adjudicating upon the responsibility of States in atrocity situations. 2 Similarly, there have also been studies on the impact of political institutions in advancing accountability for atrocities, with scholarship on the United Nations (UN) Security Council’s contribution being particularly voluminous.3 By contrast, at least until recently, there has been little attempt to comprehensively identify, classify and evaluate the contribution of the UN General Assembly (Assembly) to the field of international justice.4 The Assembly is not only a principal organ of the UN, but also its most representative, comprising the entire UN membership.5 As Inis Xxxxxx once noted, the Assembly provides the most prominent multilateral forum for States to articulate response priorities, mobilise opinion and express its disapprobation.6 Writing in 1966, Xxxxxx noted that the exercise of this ‘collective legitimization’ function ‘is and probably will continue to be, a highly significant part of the 1 See generally Xxxxx Xxxx-Xxxxxxx, ‘Institutions of International Justice’ (1999) 52(2) J Intl Aff 473, 476; Xxxxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxxx Xxxxxx, Accountability for Human Rights Atrocities in International Law (OUP 1997); Xxxxx Xxxxxxx, ‘The costs of international justice’ (2006) 100(4) AJIL 861; Xxxx Xxxxxx and Xxxxxx Xxxxxxxxx, ‘Trials and Errors: Principle and Pragmatism in Strategies of International Justice’ (2004) 28(3) Intl Security 5, 5; UNCHR, ‘Updated Set of principles for the protection and promotion of human rights through action to combat impunity’ (8 February 2005) UN Doc E/CN.4/2005/102/Add.1, 5 (noting that UN Member States undertook to take ‘joint and separate action’ to ensure respect for human rights).
