Much like health epidemics that can ravage communities and nations, there are risk factors, warning signs and underlying causes that lead to genocide. This also means that there are opportunities for early detection and prevention.
With co-founder James Smith’s experience as a medical doctor and surgeon, Aegis has been able to view the predictable causes and conditions of genocide as being akin to the predictable causes of disease, and – like health epidemics – the best solution to eradicating genocide is prevention.
Aegis applies a public health model to genocide prevention, through:
Research and remembrance about the past, building resilience against genocide in communities through education, emphasizing individual responsibility. This mirrors primary prevention as per the public health model, prevention through identification of risk factors and early intervention.
Evidence-based campaigns to prevent mass atrocities when at-risk groups are under immediate threat. This mirrors secondary prevention as per the public health model, of responding quickly and appropriately to current threats and incidents.
Supporting survivors and communities to rebuild after genocide. This mirrors tertiary prevention as per the public health model, to reduce the effects afterwards and prevent re-occurrence.