The Office of the Prosecutor launches public consultation on a policy initiative to advance accountability for gender persecution under the Rome Statute
The Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Mr Karim A.A. Khan KC, is pleased to invite a further round of comments on his new policy initiative to advance accountability for the crime against humanity of persecution on the grounds of gender under the Rome Statute. Comments on the current draft should be provided by Wednesday, 23 November 2022, midnight, CET.
The initiative was launched in December 2021 and benefited from an initial round of comments during the drafting process. The current consultations aim to solicit more specific and focused feedback.
The initiative will culminate in a new comprehensive policy paper that aims to describe and guide the Office in ensuring a systematic approach to dealing with the crimes involving gender persecution from the outset of the preliminary examination process to investigations and prosecutions.
Complementing and building on the 2014 Policy Paper on Sexual and Gender-Based Crimes, the new policy will help to further promote accountability, transparency, and predictability in the work of the Office in this crucial area. The policy will be developed on the basis of the Rome Statute and other regulatory instruments of the Court, as well as applicable treaties, and the principles and rules of international law. It will also draw on the jurisprudence of the Court and other relevant jurisdictions.
In highlighting the importance of the policy and stakeholder consultation, Prosecutor Khan stated: “External consultations on policies and working methods are essential for maintaining and furthering transparency and effectiveness of my Office. This policy paper will help us to set up a more focused approach to effectively addressing sexual and gender-based crimes and to provide justice to so many victims.”
Professor Lisa Davis, Special Adviser to the Prosecutor on Gender Persecution, who assists the Prosecutor and the Office in developing this policy, underlined: “Sexual and gender-based crimes are one of the gravest under the Rome Statute. The new OTP policy paper intends to contribute to the systematisation and development of innovative approaches in the investigation and prosecution of these heinous crimes.”
Comments should be sent to [email protected] by Wednesday, 23 November 2022, midnight, CET.
All input received by the deadline will be carefully considered in the internal review and revision process. The Office is grateful for the interest and support of the Rome Statute community for its activities and initiatives.
For further details on "preliminary examinations" and "situations and cases" before the Court, click here, and here.