The United Kingdom contributes GBP 430,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims, in support of survivors of conflict related sexual and gender-based violence

The United Kingdom contributes GBP 430,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims, in support of survivors of conflict related sexual and gender-based violence

 

The Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) warmly welcomes the announcement of the United Kingdom to make a voluntary contribution of GBP 430,000 earmarked to support survivors of conflict related sexual and gender-based violence. This contribution responds to TFV’s funding appeal to support victims of conflict-related sexual violence.

 

Announcing the contribution, the Minister of State at the Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office and the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon said: “Sexual violence including rape, is a shocking reality for many people in conflict-affected countries. The international community must hold perpetrators to account and deliver justice for those affected. The UK is determined to help survivors to rebuild their lives, including through our support for the Trust Fund for Victims.” 

 

The TFV highly appreciates the continued engagement of the United Kingdom and this significant contribution in support of TFV ’s activities for the benefit of victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court. Welcoming this announcement, Franziska Eckelmans, TFV Acting Executive Director, thanked the Government of the United Kingdom by saying “Earmarked contributions, like this important donation from the United Kingdom, highlight the importance of providing reparations to victims of conflict-related sexual violence under the Rome Statute’s reparative justice system. When receiving such reparations, victims are recognised as beneficiaries, because the commission of these crimes fall under the Rome Statute. When reparative justice is applied, victims are enabled to address their trauma and transform their lives to regain hope and dignity. At the same time, victims, their families and affected communities understand and experience that conflict-related sexual violence is an international crime, which, if committed nevertheless, carries consequences and creates responsibilities.”

 

The TFV intends to allocate this contribution to country programmes in Central African Republic and Uganda, which have fully or in part a focus on victims of such violence. This contribution will help recognise, and respond to the harm suffered by these victims. Under these country programmes, victims can receive medical treatment, individual trauma counselling and group therapy, education, and socio-economic support.

 

To date, the TFV conducts country programmes for the benefit of victims of Rome Statute crimes in the following ICC situation countries: Central African Republic, Côte d'Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali and Uganda. The TFV will soon launch new programmes in Georgia and Kenya.

 

The TFV is also implementing programmes in four reparation cases ordered by the ICC: the Lubanga, Katanga, Al Mahdi, and Ntaganda cases. The convicted persons in these cases were all found to be indigent and the TFV has responded to the ICC's requests to consider complementing the payment of the reparations awards. Using the available voluntary contributions, the TFV is paying for the implementation of reparations awards in these four cases. Additional funds are urgently required to continue the reparation programme for the victims in the Lubanga case. The TFV has also engaged in the fifth reparations proceeding in the Ongwen case since the beginning of 2021.

 

Voluntary contributions, such as this from the United Kingdom, enable the Trust Fund for Victims to make reparative justice for victims of the gravest crimes to the international community a reality.  

 

For more information about the Trust Fund for Victims, please contact: trustfundforvictims@icc-cpi.int or visit: www.trustfundforvictims.org