World Coalition Against the Death Penalty

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty is an international alliance devoted to ending capital punishment. It brings together more than 180 member organizations, including nongovernmental organizations, bar associations, local authorities and trade unions. Rather than operating as a commercial brand, the Coalition functions as a coordinating and advocacy network: it gives abolitionist organizations a common international platform, supports political and legal campaigning, and helps connect national and regional initiatives. The Coalition emerged from the international abolitionist movement that gathered around the first World Congress Against the Death Penalty. On 22 June 2001, participants at the congress adopted the Strasbourg Declaration at the Council of Europe. The declaration called for worldwide coordination among abolitionist associations and campaigners and proposed a global day dedicated to universal abolition. Following preparatory meetings in Paris and Brussels, participating organizations met in Rome on 13 May 2002 and formally established the World Coalition. An initial 11-member Steering Committee was elected to shape its political strategy, with the committee subsequently renewed through the Coalition's General Assembly process. Since 2008, the organization has been registered as an association under French law. A central part of the Coalition's public work is the World Day Against the Death Penalty, observed each year on 10 October. First held in 2003, the day provides a framework for demonstrations, educational activities, public statements, conferences and other local initiatives. Each annual observance has generally emphasized a particular dimension of capital punishment, including miscarriages of justice, mental illness, drug trafficking, terrorism, poverty, human dignity, children's rights and access to legal counsel. The Council of Europe's Committee of Ministers established a European Day Against the Death Penalty on the same date in 2007, giving the observance an additional regional dimension. The Coalition also works on international legal and diplomatic mechanisms. Since 2007, it has promoted ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, a treaty intended to advance abolition, and it supports accession to relevant regional abolition protocols. It encourages governments to vote for United Nations General Assembly resolutions calling for a moratorium on executions. The first such resolution was adopted in 2007 and has been put to a vote every two years since 2008. The Coalition additionally assists members in defending abolitionist countries against attempts to restore capital punishment or resume executions. Research and information-sharing form another part of its work. Through its network and partnerships, the Coalition helps collect and disseminate information about the legal status and practical use of the death penalty worldwide. Its partnership with the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide has supported the development of a database on capital punishment. It has also worked with research organizations, including the GAMAAN Institute, on public-opinion and related studies. Funding comes from member contributions, the European Union, certain European governments, including Belgium, Monaco and Switzerland, and other institutional funders supporting specific projects.

The World Coalition Against the Death Penalty developed from efforts to give the global abolitionist movement a permanent international structure. Its immediate institutional predecessor was the first World Congress Against the Death Penalty, organized by the French nongovernmental organization Ensemble contre la peine de mort. At the congress, held in Strasbourg on 22 June 2001, participants adopted the Strasbourg Declaration in the hemicycle of the Council of Europe. One of the declaration's commitments was to create a worldwide coordination mechanism for abolitionist associations and campaigners. It also proposed a worldwide day devoted to the universal abolition of capital punishment. The declaration did not itself create the Coalition. Preparatory meetings subsequently took place in Paris and Brussels, bringing together organizations interested in a continuing international alliance. On 13 May 2002, representatives convened in Rome and formally established the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty. Its first Steering Committee had 11 members and was responsible for helping define the organization's political strategy. The committee was later renewed through General Assembly procedures, reflecting the Coalition's network-based rather than corporate structure. The Coalition's work has centered on turning a broad abolitionist principle into coordinated international action. It facilitates lobbying directed at states and international institutions, organizes events intended to attract international attention, and encourages the creation of national and regional coalitions. This approach allows organizations operating in different legal and political environments to share campaigns, arguments and information while retaining their own local identities. The most visible expression of this coordination is the World Day Against the Death Penalty, first observed in 2003 and held each year on 10 October. The annual event links local campaigns with a common global date. From 2005 onward, the Coalition assigned a particular theme to each observance. Themes addressed regional abolition efforts in Africa and Asia, miscarriages of justice, democracy, cruel and degrading punishment, violent crime in the Caribbean, mental illness, drug trafficking, terrorism, poverty, human dignity, children's rights and legal counsel. The Council of Europe's decision in 2007 to establish a European Day Against the Death Penalty on the same date strengthened the event's institutional visibility in Europe. Since 2007, the Coalition has also conducted a continuing campaign concerning international and regional legal commitments. It encourages states to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which is directed toward abolition of the death penalty, and supports participation in regional protocols with the same objective. The organization has further encouraged governments to support the United Nations General Assembly's resolutions on a moratorium on executions. The first resolution was adopted in 2007, and subsequent votes have taken place every other year since 2008. Another strand of the Coalition's activity is defensive advocacy. It helps members organize initiatives and advocacy missions intended to prevent abolitionist states from reintroducing capital punishment or carrying out executions after abolition. Its research role includes gathering and distributing information on the death penalty and supporting partnerships that make comparative information more accessible. Work with the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide contributed to a database on the use of capital punishment, while cooperation with research bodies such as the GAMAAN Institute has supported studies related to public opinion and abolition. Since 2008, the World Coalition has been registered as an association under French law. Its resources come from member contributions, European Union support, contributions from some European governments—including Belgium, Monaco and Switzerland—and other institutional funding directed to particular projects. The available reference material does not identify a permanent chief executive, founder, headquarters address or current officeholders.

• 2008

  Registered as an association under French law

  [1]World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org

  The Coalition became registered as an association under French law.

• 2007

  International moratorium and European observance advocacy expand

  [1]World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org

  The Coalition began promoting the United Nations moratorium process and the Council of Europe aligned a European observance with 10 October.

• 2003

  First World Day Against the Death Penalty

  [1]World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org

  The first annual World Day Against the Death Penalty was held on 10 October.

• 2002

  Coalition founded in Rome

  [1]World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org

  Organizations meeting in Rome on 13 May formally created the World Coalition Against the Death Penalty and elected an initial 11-member Steering Committee.

• 2001

  Strasbourg Declaration calls for global abolitionist coordination

  [1]World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org

  Participants in the first World Congress Against the Death Penalty adopted a declaration calling for worldwide coordination among abolitionist organizations and campaigners.

A global abolitionist coordination platform that combines civil-society campaigning, international advocacy, legal-policy work, public education and research partnerships.

• Global awareness campaign · 2003

  World Day Against the Death Penalty

  An annual international observance held on 10 October. It provides a shared date for public demonstrations, educational programs, policy advocacy, conferences and communications supporting abolition. Since 2005, the Coalition has selected a specific theme for each year's activities.

• Legal and diplomatic advocacy · 2007

  International abolition protocol advocacy

  A continuing program encouraging states to ratify the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and to join regional treaties aimed at abolishing capital punishment.

• Research and information

  Death-penalty information and research partnerships

  The Coalition gathers and shares information about capital punishment through its network and institutional partnerships, including work connected with the Cornell Center on the Death Penalty Worldwide and research cooperation involving the GAMAAN Institute.

• 202030th anniversary of the American Convention abolition protocol

  The Americas

  The Coalition issued a joint statement with the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights marking the 30th anniversary of the regional protocol concerning abolition of the death penalty.

  Source
• 2007United Nations moratorium on executions

  Global

  The Coalition began encouraging United Nations member states to support General Assembly resolutions calling for a moratorium on executions.

  Outcome. The first resolution was adopted in 2007, with votes held every other year from 2008 onward.

  Source
• 2007International and regional abolition protocols

  Global · Europe · The Americas

  The Coalition launched a continuing effort to promote ratification of the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and accession to regional abolition treaties.

  Outcome. The campaign remains an ongoing component of the Coalition's legal and diplomatic advocacy.

  Source
• 2003World Day Against the Death Penalty

  Global

  The Coalition established 10 October as a common date for international and local abolitionist actions.

  Outcome. The observance became an annual global campaign and was later complemented by a European observance on the same date.

  Source

1. 1World Coalition Against the Death Penaltyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2World Coalition Against the Death Penalty official websiteworldcoalition.org