Statement of the Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, Fatou Bensouda, to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women

As long as the repugnant culture which allows such violence is not reversed, human society cannot claim higher moral authority, nor for that matter, reach its full potential.

As Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, challenging the culture of discrimination that allows violence against women to persist entails investigating and prosecuting those responsible for these crimes within the Rome Statute legal framework.  In line with other national and international initiatives to stop unchecked violence against women, my Office has set a clear strategic priority to find innovative methods to boost investigations and prosecutions of sexual and gender-based crimes.  Additionally, we will soon finalise our draft policy on sexual and gender crimes, which will further guide our work in fighting impunity for such egregious crimes.

I firmly believe that the law and judicial proceedings are powerful tools available to us so as to not only highlight the brutality and barbaric nature of these crimes against women, but also to give a voice to the far too often voiceless victims of these crimes and punish their perpetrators.  I am convinced that in time the law through its disciplining effect would deter would-be perpetrators of sexual and gender-based crimes, and constructively induce behavioural change.

We all have a role to play in challenging the archaic culture of discrimination that allows violence against women to persist.  Violence and discrimination against women should have no place in our 21st century ethos.

Source: Office of the Prosecutor/ [email protected]