Summary

To complement accountability efforts, the Trust Fund for Victims redresses harm suffered by victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and the crime of aggression. Since 2020, the TFV has operated a dedicated programme for victims of conflict-related sexual violence. As of 31 December 2025, 14, 457 children, women & men have participated in services and initiatives resulting in immediate relief and long-term sustainable health and socioeconomic progress.

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Context

  • Based on referrals made by the authorities of the Central African Republic (CAR) in 2004 and 2014, the International Criminal Court (ICC) has jurisdiction throughout the territory of CAR in relation to crimes against humanity and war crimes committed in the context of the peak of violence in 2002 and 2003, with focus on sexual-based violence (“ICC Situation in CAR I”);  and in the context of renewed violence since 1 August 2012, or the Seleka and Anti-Balaka conflict (“ICC Situation in CAR II”).

    In parallel to judicial activities conducted by the ICC, the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) has the mandate of providing assistance to redress the impact of crimes under the jurisdiction of the Court (“TFV assistance mandate”). On the basis of this mandate, since 2020, the TFV runs a holistic programme for the benefit of victims of conflict-related sexual violence.
  • The programme has an average annual budget of EUR 800,000 and is delivered through five implementing partners selected following an open and transparent selection process, according to the ICC Financial Regulations and other relevant provisions:

           
International NGOs

      • Danish Church Aid, DCA
      • Dennis Mukwege Foundation, FDM
      • Médecins d’Afrique, MDA

Local NGOs

      • Association des Femmes Juristes en Centrafrique, AFJC
      • Comité Inter-Africain sur les Pratiques Traditionnelles ayant effet sur la Santé des Femmes et des Enfants, CIAF Centrafrique

Beneficiaries 

  • The programme benefits female and male survivors and victims of conflict related sexual violence (CSRV) committed in CAR in line with the jurisdiction covered by the ICC.  Since 2020 and up to 31 December 2025, the TFV programme has assisted 10, 457 victims of CRSV of which 9, 169 female and 1, 288 male (direct victims).
  • The programme has also benefited 4,403  indirect victims, namely children born out of rape and partners and family members of direct victims.
  • The TFV CAR Programme is delivered across 27 locations in 6 provinces in CAR including the city of Bangui.

Intervention

  • Conflict related sexual violence impacts the physical and mental health of victims. The deterioration of their health results in stigma and marginalisation, which then exacerbates socioeconomic challenges. Many survivors as well as children born of rape are living with HIV/AIDS and face significant barriers in accessing essential medication, nutritional support, and healthcare services. Displaced survivors in Bangui lack access to safe shelter and housing, hindering their ability to dignity and gainful employment. Children born of rape often experience stigma, limited access to education, and difficulties in obtaining birth certificates due to unclear paternity. Their marginalisation increases poverty and sows violence.
  • The CAR TFV Programme provides interventions with both short- and long-term impact through 5 action lines: medical support; psychological and psychosocial support; specialised support to children born out of rape; enabling socioeconomic resilience; and targeted positive masculinity approaches.

Key strategy: Positive masculinities

  • The TFV has identified that despite the positive impact of holistic services, female survivors often continue to be subjected to gender-based violence through assaults and mistreatment from their domestic partners and other relatives.
  • To address this challenge, the TFV applies a gender transformative approach focuses primarily on men based on the “Journey of Transformation” (JoT) training to provide communication, problem-solving and self-management skills applied to improving the relationships between romantic and familial couples, even when participants are illiterate. Through this approach the violent and non-committal behaviour of men is addressing resulting in reduction of consumption of drugs and alcohol, increasing their participation in child-rearing and domestic tasks, reducing violence.

Impact and Sustainability  

  • The programme reports restoration of mental health and psychosocial well-being leading to accurate stabilization of health status and improvement of physical conditions
  • Beneficiaries report independent economic income as a result of successful business endeavours.
  • Through the education support for children born out of rape, the programs contributed to reduce the risks associated with juvenile delinquency, sexual abuse as well as other forms of children's rights violation.
  • The implementation of the Journey of Transformation(JoT) approach in the TFV programmes in CAR brought up significate positive changes on men’s behaviour. Between 2021 and 2023, 80, 16% of the participating couples (566 out of 706) report drastic change in their relationships and considerable reduction of domestic violence.
  • Social workers trained in psychosocial techniques and positive masculinity replicate impact of programme and guarantee local continued impact.

Success Stories

Madame Albertine in Bangui 

Mme. Albertine is a CRSV survivor in CAR, who benefited from the psychotherapy centres activities at the Mukwege Foundation component of the TFV CAR Programme. She used her cash support from to start a kindergarten and primary school. Today she has a team of educators who gather daily 150 orphaned children from 2-16 years. She provides education opportunities not otherwise available. On Mondays they learn about community, forgiveness and kindness.

Women from Sibut (11 minutes) Link to video(YouTube): here 

Fifteen women from Sibut, supported by Danish Church Aid under the TFV programme were trained on photography and were given cameras to capture their lives through their own lens. The final product reveals their stories of change and recovery from conflict related sexual violence. The photo project was conducted independently by the organisation Voices that Count using the participative methodology “photovoice”. Photovoice is a used by TFV to document programme outcomes.

Results 2020-2025

 

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Funding for the TFV Programme in CAR 2020-2025

As provided by the Assembly of States Parties, the TFV may receive resources from convicted persons before the ICC and from voluntary contributions from public or private sources. To date, 53 states parties have contributed at least once to the TFV, for a total of EUR 56 million mobilised since 2004. In the Central African Republic, the TFV invests and annual average of EUR 800,000. To continue activities beyond 2025, the TFV seeks to mobilise EUR 3 million. The TFV CAR programme benefited from contributions from 17 States Parties to the ICC, listed below. Because of the nature of its interventions, contributions to the TFV are ODA-eligible. Contributions to the TFV may be earmarked to a specific country, type of victim or type of activity.

 

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Programme Management Approach: Effectiveness, efficacy and governance

The Programmes of the TFV are designed and managed by the Secretariat of the TFV, which acts under the supervision of the Board of Directors. The Secretariat is funded from regular contributions of states parties to the ICC. As a result, there are no overheads associated with the programmes, and resources go entirely to victims. The CAR programme has 2 persons based in Bangui, in the ICC Country Office, and is supported for programme administration and directive oversight from The Hague.

 

TFV priorities 2025-2027

  1. The Board of Directors has approved the continuation of the Programme for the contractual year 2025-2026.
  2. Fund mobilisation of EUR 3 million to continue the programme beyond 2026
  3. In 2025-2026, the TFV will also conduct preparations to prepare for potential reparations, stemming from two cases under judicial proceedings at the ICC, which concern at least 5,000 victims including former child soldiers.
  4. The TFV will engage in sharing experiences and enhancing reparative approach in interventions related to international justice and domestic justice mechanisms with the Special Court for CAR (CPS) and transitional justice mechanisms in CAR.

 

Last update: March 2026

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