Subject: [fem-women2000 781] Women's Globalnet #192: Internatoinal Criminal Court Goes Into Force
From: iwtc <iwtc@iwtc.org>
Date: Fri, 12 Apr 2002 17:04:49 +0000
Seq: 781

IWTC WOMEN'S GLOBALNET #192
Initiatives and Activities of Women Worldwide
By Anne S. Walker 

April 12 2002

WOMEN'S GROUPS WELCOME THE NEW INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT AND A NEW 
ERA OF ACCOUNTABILITY FOR CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN

PLEASE NOTE: The following information comes from the Women's Caucus for 
Gender Justice Press Release of April 11 2002. 

On Thursday, the number of ratifications necessary to bring the Rome 
Statute of the International Criminal Court into force was exceeded when 
Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Cambodia, Democratic Republic of Congo, 
Ireland, Jordan, Mongolia, Niger, Romania, and Slovakia, officially 
completed their ratification in a special ceremony at the UN Treaty 
Office. Women's groups have applauded this historic development as the 
Rome Statute codifies crimes of sexual and gender violence, which had 
historically not been addressed in humanitarian law. 

COALITION FOR THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL COURT
Non-governmental organizations and civil society present during these 
negotiations at the United Nations are part of  the Coalition for the 
International Criminal Court, an international network of individuals 
and organizations from all over the world which formed in 1995. For 
information on CICC, contact: Adele Waugaman, Communications and 
Development Associate, c/o WFM, 777 United Nations Plaza, New York, NY 
10017. Tel: (1-212) 687-2863 ext. 17. Fax: (1-212) 599-1332. E-mail: 
<ciccmedia@iccnow.org>. Web: <http://www.iccnow.org>

WOMEN'S CAUCUS FOR GENDER JUSTICE
Women's groups organized in 1997 as the Women's Caucus for Gender 
Justice to advocate for gender mainstreaming in the negotiations. As a 
result, rape, sexual slavery, enforced prostitution, forced pregnancy, 
enforced sterilization and sexual violence were included in the Rome 
Statute as war crimes and crimes against humanity. Prior codifications 
of humanitarian law, e.g. the Geneva and Hague Conventions, had failed 
to fully address this range of crimes and recognize them as among grave 
violations. In addition, trafficking and gender-based persecution were 
included as crimes against humanity. The statute also contains 
progressive provisions relating to the participation and protection of 
victims and witnesses in the process and women on the Court as judges, 
prosecutors and staff.  For further information, contact: Pam Spees, 
Women's Caucus for Gender Justice, 33-53 Vernon Blvd, Ste 1. Long Island 
City, NY11106. USA. Tel: (1-718) 626-2681. Fax: (1-718) 626-3528. Web: 
http://www.iccwomen.org. Email: caucus@iccwomen.org

STATUTE ENTERS INTO FORCE 1 JULY 2002
With the necessary ratifications, the Rome Statute will enter into force 
on 1 July 2002 at which time the Court's jurisdiction will take effect.  
It is anticipated that the first meeting of the Assembly of States 
Parties will convene in September 2002.

THREATS TO THE INDEPENDENCE OF THE COURT
As the International Criminal Court comes into existence, there are 
already serious threats to its independence, impartiality and 
effectiveness. A major stumbling block is the fact that the U.S has not 
ratified the Rome Statute and may even 'unsign' the treaty - something 
that has never been done before. Currently, there are two laws in effect 
in the U.S. which prohibit any support or assistance to the future Court 
as well as the ongoing process toward its establishment. The U.S. 
hostility towards the Court stems largely from the fact that the ICC 
will not be dependent on the UN Security Council for cases that can come 
before it and the U.S. was not successful in achieving exemptions for 
U.S. nationals.

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