Following the speech delivered on 10 September 2018 by US National Security Advisor, John Bolton, concerning the International Criminal Court (“ICC” or the “ICC”), the Trust Fund for Victims (“TFV” or “Trust Fund”) underlines the importance of the Rome Statute system in providing undeniable value of reparative justice to victims.

The Trust Fund recalls that, in addition to the independent and impartial prosecution of accused criminals, reparative justice for victims is one of the central values of the Rome Statute.

In order to make justice a meaningful reality, the Rome Statute’s uniquely victim-centric framework provides for victims to receive assistance and reparations for their benefit, their families, and their communities.

That victims of unimaginable atrocities are able to overcome harm and rebuild their lives with dignity, must not be overlooked when considering the validity and effectiveness of international criminal justice under the Rome Statute system.

The Trust Fund calls upon all States and all individuals, foundations and corporations to be mindful of the plight of victims who have and continue to suffer intolerable harms, and to commit their moral, political and financial support to the undeniable value of reparative justice for victims under the Rome Statute.

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The Trust Fund fulfils two mandates for victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC: 1) implementing reparations to victims that are ordered against a convicted person by the Court and 2) providing assistance to victims and their families.

With the unique roles of implementing both Court-ordered reparations and general assistance to victims of crimes under the ICC’s jurisdiction, the Trust Fund offers key advantages for promoting lasting peace, reconciliation, and wellbeing in war-torn societies.

Since 2008, the TFV has been so far assisted over 450,000 direct and indirect victims in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Uganda, by providing physical and psychological rehabilitation as well as socio-economic support to survivors of the gravest crimes.

The TFV is also at the implementation stage in regards to the three reparations orders, in the Lubanga and Katanga cases in the DRC and the Al Mahdi case in Mali, in which more than ten thousands victims will benefit from the reparations programmes.

For further information on the Trust Fund for Victims, please e-mail to: trustfundforvictims@icc-cpi.int or visit the website at: www.trustfundforvictims.org