ICC Registrar holds Seminar, proposes ways ahead, for the Registry’s role in providing support and assistance to victims

On 8 and 9 November, the Registrar of the International Criminal Court (ICC), Ms Silvana Arbia, brought together external and internal experts, including Registry staff working in the different situation countries, at the seat of the Court for a special Seminar of the Registry’s role in providing support and assistance to victims. The seminar was also attended by representatives of the other organs, the Office of Public Counsel for Victims and for Defence.

The Seminar included presentations and discussions which will aid the Registry in implementing the ICC Strategy in relation to Victims. In her welcoming remarks the Registrar stated that “the Registry has an important mandate in relation to victims which shaped its work since the beginning; while the Registry staff has done enormous and excellent work in this area, time has no come to take stock and reflect on the way ahead”.

The Deputy Registrar provided the context of the seminar by outlining the Victims’ strategy and providing an overview of the other organs/offices involved.

Special guest speakers included Justice Renate Winter, Judge of the Appeals Chamber of the Special Court for Sierra Leone; Gina Donoso, Clinical and Social Psychologist and Human Rights Specialist; Jennifer Melton, representative from UNICEF’s multisectoral response for survivors of sexual violence in the DRC; Carlos Martin Beristain, physician and psychologist; Helena Vranov - Schoorl, Associate Support Officer of the Victims and Witnesses Section at the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia.

At the outset of the seminar the different sections of the Registry in regular contact with victims – the Victims and Witness Unit (VWU), Victims Participation and Reparations Section (VPRS), and Outreach Unit – explained their different roles and responsibilities vis-à-vis victims. After having been provided with an insight into relevant provisions in the ICC legal framework, the expectations of victims and the work of international and national institutions/agencies in relation to support and assistance, the seminar reflected upon how to improve Registry’s work, in particular how to best cooperate with other actors for the implementation of the third strategic objective of the Victims’ strategy.

The Seminar furthermore discussed the impact on staff dealing with victims who have suffered horrible crimes. “Not all of us are psychologists; we have different professions such as journalist or lawyer. After meeting with victims, listening to their sad stories and often being shown the scars they still bear, we staff come to the field office and just hug each other” an outreach coordinator said.

In implementing the strategy the Registry will provide more clarity for victims on what is provided, to whom, by whom and when. The Registry will also reinforce its measures to ensure the well-being of staff dealing with victims and prevent secondary-traumatisation.

For further information, please contact Fadi El Abdallah, Associate Legal Outreach Officer, on +31 (0)70 515-9152 or at [email protected]

The ICC’s activities can also be followed through YouTube and Twitter