The International Criminal Court: Delivering justice for women?

Delegates from across the Asia Pacific, including representatives of national human rights institutions (NHRIs), will gather in Sydney in February for a major conference to discuss the work and impact of the International Criminal Court during its first decade.

Co-hosted by the Australian Human Rights Centre and the Faculties of Arts and Law of the University of New South Wales, the two-day forum will examine the role and success of the Court in achieving gender justice.

It will also review the reasons for the Asia Pacific’s limited engagement with the International Criminal Court regime and discuss some key lessons from other regions about achieving ratification and full implementation of the Court’s mandate, including in the area of gender justice.

‘Justice for All? The International Criminal Court: A Ten Year Review’ will be held on 14-15 February 2012 and include presentations from:

• the President of the Court, Judge Sang-Hyun Song,
• the Registrar of the Court, Ms Silvana Arbia,
• Deputy Prosecutor, Ms Fatou Bensouda, and
• Ambassador Christian Wenaweser, President of the International Criminal Court Assembly of States Parties.

In addition, a number of leading academics and practitioners will share their expertise.

Capacity building workshop

Following the conference, around 20 delegates from NHRIs and non-governmental organisations in the Asia Pacific will take part in a one-day workshop to specifically explore the role of the International Criminal Court in relation to gender justice.

The APF will support the participation of senior representatives from the NHRIs of Afghanistan, Malaysia, the Maldives, the Philippines and Sri Lanka.

The workshop – to be led by Brigid Inder, Executive Director of Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice – will discuss the value and effectiveness of the Rome Statute and the International Criminal Court system in addressing gender injustice.

It will also explore the role of domestic jurisdictions in fostering a global system capable of addressing human rights violations, particularly those committed against women, by fully ratifying and implementing the Rome Statute.

The conference and workshop will provide delegates with the opportunity to build their knowledge of the Court and develop links with others involved in the ratification and implementation process, both from the Asia Pacific region and beyond.

Delegates will also be invited to outline an International Criminal Court and gender justice strategy for further development and implementation on returning home and to work with appropriate government agencies and NGOs to share information about the International Criminal Court.

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Further information on the conference and workshop: www.justiceforall.unsw.edu.au.