On 20 January 2020, Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice joined 12 other NGOs in addressing the Core Group and Co-Sponsoring States of the initiative for the creation of a new multilateral treaty for the domestic prosecution of the most serious international crimes, the ‘Mutual Legal Assistance Initiative’ (“MLA Initiative”). The letter comes in response to the Draft Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity and War Crimes and in advance of the Informal Consultations to be held in The Hague on 27-29 January 2020. 

In the letter, NGOs note their related commitment to enhance victims’ rights, including the right to justice, truth, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, and address three main concerns with the Draft Convention, relating to (1) jurisdictional scope (ratione materiae and ratione loci); (2) the effective protection of victims’ rights; and (3) asset recovery and disposal. 

Read the full joint letter here.