Guarantees of non-repetition

• Convention on the Rights of the Child
• Human Rights Day
• International Court of Justice
• Reparation (legal), the legal philosophy
• Reparations for slavery, proposed compensation for the Transatlantic Slave Trade, to assist the descendants of enslaved peoples and the communities affected
• UN Charter
• Universal Declaration of Human Rights

Guarantees of non-repetition are a form of reparation under international human rights law aimed at preventing the recurrence of gross and systematic violations of human rights. Unlike compensatory measures, guarantees of non-repetition focus on addressing the structural and institutional causes that enable violations to occur, including deficiencies in legal systems, governance, and accountability mechanisms.^[3]

The concept of guarantees of non-repetition is formally recognized in the United Nations General Assembly Resolution 60/147 (2005), which identifies them as one of the five core forms of reparation for victims of gross violations of international human rights law and serious violations of international humanitarian law.^[3] The resolution lists measures such as ensuring effective civilian control of security forces, strengthening the independence of the judiciary, protecting human rights defenders, and promoting human rights education as central components of non-repetition guarantees.

The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) further emphasizes that guarantees of non-repetition are essential to restoring trust in public institutions and ensuring sustainable peace in post-conflict and post-authoritarian societies.^[4]

Guarantees of non-repetition may take various forms depending on the context. Common measures include institutional and legal reforms, vetting and reform of security and law enforcement institutions, strengthening judicial independence, human rights training for public officials, and reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and accountability in public administration.^[5]

In transitional justice processes, guarantees of non-repetition complement truth-seeking, criminal accountability, and reparations programmes. Scholars note that while such guarantees are among the most transformative forms of reparation, they are also the most difficult to implement, as they require long-term political commitment and institutional change rather than one-time remedies.^[6]