ceremony marks First Meeting of Trust Fund for Victims

(Reissued as received.)

THE HAGUE, 23 April (International Criminal Court) -- The Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims announced today their commitment to benefit victims of crimes within the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court, and the families of such victims.  The announcement was made at a special ceremony in The Hague held to mark the first meeting of the Board of Directors of the Trust Fund for Victims.

“Justice is not only about punishing perpetrators, but also about restoring dignity to victims”, said the First Vice-President of the Court, Judge Akua Kuenyehia.

The Trust Fund for Victims was established pursuant to article 79 of the Rome Statute for the International Criminal Court.  The Fund will play a principal role in providing reparations to victims of crimes falling under the jurisdiction of the Court.

The Board is composed of Her Majesty Queen Rania Al-Abdullah of Jordan, His Excellency Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez from Costa Rica, His Excellency Mr. Tadeusz Mazowiecki from Poland, Madam Minister Simone Veil from France, and His Eminence Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu from South Africa, who represent their respective regions.

Over the past three days, the Board met at the seat of the Court in The Hague for in-depth discussions on a range of issues impacting the manner in which the Fund will operate.  These issues included the management and oversight of the Fund and the scope of beneficiaries.  The Board Members noted the fact that the ability of the Trust Fund to carry out its functions is directly contingent upon the resources it is provided with.  States Parties to the Rome Statute, interested organizations and private individuals must be encouraged to help build the resource base of the Fund during this crucial period.

Members of the Board agreed to adopt standards that will allow the Fund to meet the needs of victims under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court in a fair, transparent and effective manner, taking into account their cultures and traditions, as well as the nature of the crimes suffered.

The meeting of the Board was extremely productive. Upon its conclusion, His Eminence Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu commended the governments and representatives of civil society for making the creation of this historic Fund possible.

The International Criminal Court was established by the Rome Statute in 1998.  It is the first permanent international criminal court with jurisdiction over genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes committed by individuals.  The series of rights afforded to victims under the Rome Statute is widely considered one of its unique and most important components.

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