What is the definition of the term 'genocide' and what are some of the key examples and impacts of the phenomenon?

Genocide is the deliberate and systematic destruction, in whole or in part, of an ethnic, racial, religious, or national group. It is a crime under international law, and its perpetrators are held accountable by the International Criminal Court.

One of the most well-known examples of genocide is the Holocaust, during which Nazi Germany killed approximately six million Jews. Another example is the Armenian Genocide, which occurred during World War I and resulted in the deaths of an estimated 1.5 million Armenians. The Rwandan Genocide, which took place in 1994, resulted in the deaths of an estimated 800,000 Tutsis and moderate Hutus. Other examples include the Cambodian Genocide, the Bosnian Genocide, and the Darfur Genocide.

The impacts of genocide are devastating and far-reaching. They include loss of life, displacement of populations, trauma, and long-term effects on survivors and future generations. Genocide can also have political, economic, and social impacts, destabilizing entire regions and leading to ongoing conflict and human rights abuses.