Latest News
Open Letter to US Congress and Incoming President Regarding Sanctions on the ICC
January 6, 2025 – Today, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joined 75 human rights organizations, faith-based groups, legal associations, and academic institutions in an open letter to Congress and the incoming US Presidential administration decrying sanctions against the International Criminal …
Gender Justice at the 23rd Assembly of States Parties
After five days of debates, negotiations, and side events, the annual meeting of the International Criminal Court’s governing body concluded just before midnight on Friday, December 6. The 23rd ASP brought together states parties, civil society organisations and justice advocates …
ASP Side Event | Gender Persecution Principles
What does justice for gender persecution truly look like? Is it about ensuring survivors’ voices are heard? Proving intent behind crimes that target individuals based on their gender? Or breaking down the systemic barriers that prevent accountability? These questions were …
ASP Side Event | Gender Justice and the Crimes Against Humanity Treaty
What would it take to create a Crimes Against Humanity treaty that truly addresses sexual and gender-based crimes? Co-sponsored by Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, the UK Government, the Global Justice Center, Washington University School of Law, Physicians for Human …
ASP Side Event | Using Technology to Improve Investigations of Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes
How can technology revolutionize the investigation of sexual and gender-based crimes (SGBC)? While frameworks like the ICC’s Policy on Gender-Based Crimes and the Murad Code have advanced investigative protocols, guidance on ethically integrating technology to mitigate risks such as digital …
Submission of Gender Persecution Principles Recommendations
Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice has submitted comprehensive recommendations to the Office of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) for updating the Gender Persecution Principles. These recommendations, developed in partnership with leading practitioners and experts, aim to transform …
Statement on Allegations of Misconduct Against ICC Prosecutor Karim Khan
As civil society organizations committed to feminist leadership, intersectional justice, and accountability for gender-based international crimes through the International Criminal Court (ICC), Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) are deeply concerned about the …
Can the ICC “Call it What it is”? Addressing Israel’s Impunity for Sexual Violence in Palestine
Reports have uncovered alarming evidence of rampant sexual violence and torture of Palestinian prisoners by Israeli forces. In August, the Israeli human rights group B’Tselem released a comprehensive report with testimonies from 55 Palestinians, revealing widespread torture, sexual violence, and …
Presentation to the Assembly of States Parties’ Committee on Budget and Finance
Executive Director Alix Vuillemin recently presented to the Assembly of States Parties’ Committee on Budget and Finance at the ICC, addressing the urgent need for gender-sensitive institutional development. Despite years of effort, 30% of ICC staff still experience workplace harassment—a …
Statement on Concerns Over Judicial Deliberations in Al Hassan Trial Judgment
The recent trial judgment in the Al Hassan case by the International Criminal Court (ICC) has raised concerns regarding judicial deliberations and their implications for justice. The fragmented decision by Trial Chamber X underscores the challenges of achieving unanimity, …
Reproductive Violence in International Criminal Law Conference
On 11 June 2024, the Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, together with Dr Rosemary Grey, the International Institute of Social Studies, the Legal Mobilization Platform, the Strategic Litigation Project, the Global Justice Center and the Sydney Centre for International Law …
Call for Proposals: “Global Initiative Against Impunity For International Crimes and Serious Human Rights Violations: Making Justice Work”
Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, on behalf of the “Global Initiative Against Impunity for International Crimes and Serious Human Rights Violations: Making Justice Work” Programme, is launching a Call for Proposals aiming to support local actors globally. The deadline for …
GREVIO Report Launch: “Sexual Violence and Stigmatisation of Victims”
The NGO Shadow report “Sexual Violence and Stigmatisation of Victims” examines the implementation of the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence against Women and Domestic Violence in Ukraine. The report identifies significant barriers within the Ukrainian criminal …
Making Justice Work : Civil Society Unites in the Global Fight Against Impunity
Impunity is the most significant obstacle to justice and reparation for victims and survivors of human rights violations and core international crimes. Often, only a small number of perpetrators are held accountable. When impunity is pervasive, it has profound consequences for societies, …
Joint Statement in Support of Progress toward a Crimes Against Humanity Treaty
On 27 March 2024, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice is joining 300+ organisations and individuals to urge, in a joint statement, UN Member States to declare support for moving a gender-competent and survivor-centric treaty on crimes against humanity into negotiations. The …
Civil Society Open Letter to Inform the New ICC OTP Policy on Environmental Crimes with a Gender Lens
In a groundbreaking move, the Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) launched a pioneering policy initiative in February 2024 dedicated to bolstering accountability for environmental crimes under the framework of the Rome Statute through the …
Gender and International Criminal Law Conference
Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, together with Legal Action Worldwide, Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, UN Women, the Australian Embassy in The Hague and the International Gender Champions Network, were very pleased to co-host the Gender and International Criminal Law conference on 16-17 January …
Statement 22nd ASP: Calling on a gender sensitive and intersectional Assembly session
In our joint General Debate Statement with the Global Justice Center, we call on states at the 22nd Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute session to be mindful of the impact of their decisions over the next two …
ASP22 Report launch: “Judicial Approaches to SGBC at the ICC”
To bolster the full potential of the Court in enhancing accountability for sexual and gender-based violence (SGBC), Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice undertook a comprehensive analysis of ICC’s jurisprudential developments on SGBC to date. We are delighted to share our …
Advancing Transparency: Joint NGO Comments on the ICC OTP’s Draft Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation
The International Criminal Court’s (ICC) Office of the Prosecutor (OTP) is formulating a Policy on Complementarity and Cooperation. This policy aims to support cooperation and complementarity efforts to encourage and facilitate the compliance of States with their primary responsibility to …
Joint Submission: Gendering the Draft Treaty on Crimes Against Humanity
On 11-12 October 2023, the United Nations Sixth Committee debated the draft of the international treaty on crimes against humanity. Ahead of these meetings, the Global Justice Centre convened Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice and other human rights organizations and …
Joint NGO Letter on victims’ meaningful participation at the International Criminal Court: Legal aid reform
The International Criminal Court (ICC) and its States Parties are reforming the ICC’s Legal Aid Policy (LAP). In a joint letter sent on 17 October 2023 to the Court and States, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, the International Federation for …
Comments on the Renewal of the ICC OTP 2014 Policy Paper on SGBC
The Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice welcomes the International Criminal Court Office of the Prosecutor’s initiative to renew its 2014 Policy Paper on Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes. We invite you to read our submission which presents five main calls to …
Introducing the New Executive Director of Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice
It is with great excitement that I announce that the Board of Directors voted unanimously for the appointment of Alix Vuillemin, an experienced advocate leader and coalition builder, to be our new Executive Director. After more than five years leading …
Joint NGO letter on the draft MLA Convention
Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joins Amnesty International, Civitas Maxima, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights, the Global Survivors’ Fund, Human Rights Watch, the International Federation for Human Rights, Parliamentarians for Global Action, REDRESS, and TRIAL International in …
ASP 2022 – Side event CRSV in Ukraine
Welcome to “A sustainable model for responding to conflict-related sexual violence in Ukraine” To follow the interpretation or join online, please access this link. The agenda for today’s event is as follows: 13:15-13:20. Introduction and welcoming remarks by H.E. Henk-Cor van …
Recommendation to include comprehensive due diligence measures in future ICC elections
On 14 April 2022, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice submitted these recommendations to the ASP’s co-facilitators for the lessons learnt exercise on the election of the ICC Prosecutor. In its submission, Women’s Initiatives points to the need to include due …
Joint statement with Global Rights Compliance on International Women’s Day
On International Women’s Day 2022, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joins Global Rights Compliance in expressing concern for the real possibility that sexual and gender-based violence (‘SGBV’) will occur within the context of Russia’s most recent invasion of Ukraine and …
Joint NGO letter urging President of Ukraine to sign international crimes law
On 30 September 2021, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joined four other NGOs in urging the President of Ukraine to sign Law No. 1164-IX “On amendments to certain legislative acts of Ukraine concerning the implementation of provisions of international criminal …
Obituary – Jeanine Bandu Bahati Mburano / Nécrologie – Jeanine Bandu Bahati Mburano
Pour la version française, voir ci-dessous. Jeanine Bandu Bahati Mburano 22 February 1967 – 10 September 2021 It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of our long-time partner Jeanine Bandu Bahati Mburano, coordinator of the …