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	UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children by Catherine Russell UNICEF Executive Director, agencies   Mar. 2025   Statement by UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell on global foreign aid reductions:   “Announced and anticipated funding cuts will limit UNICEF’s ability to reach millions of children in dire need.   “These cuts by numerous donor countries follow two years of aid reductions at a time of unprecedented need. Millions of children are affected by conflict, need to be vaccinated against deadly diseases such as measles and polio, and must be educated and kept healthy.   “As needs continue to outpace resources, UNICEF has consistently brought efficiencies and innovations to our work, and we have stretched every contribution to reach vulnerable children. But there is no way around it, these new cuts are creating a global funding crisis that will put the lives of millions of additional children at risk.   “UNICEF is funded entirely by voluntary contributions from governments, private sector partners, and individuals. This support has helped save millions of children’s lives, helped ensure infectious diseases do not spread across borders, and helped mitigate the risks of instability and violence.   “With our partners, we have made historic progress. Since 2000, global under-5 mortality has dropped by 50 per cent. Millions of children are alive today thanks to this work. Millions more have been protected with improved health and brighter futures.   “UNICEF implores all donors to continue to fund critical aid programs for the world’s children. We cannot fail them now.”   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/statement-unicef-executive-director-catherine-russell-global-foreign-aid-reductions   Mar. 2025   Decades of progress in reducing child deaths and stillbirths under threat, warns the United Nations   Decades of progress in child survival are now at risk as major donors have announced or indicated significant funding cuts to aid ahead. Reduced global funding for life-saving child survival programmes is causing health-care worker shortages, clinic closures, vaccination programme disruptions, and a lack of essential supplies, such as malaria treatments.   These cuts are severely impacting regions in humanitarian crises, debt-stricken countries, and areas with already high child mortality rates. Global funding cuts could also undermine monitoring and tracking efforts, making it harder to reach the most vulnerable children, the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME) warned.   “From tackling malaria to preventing stillbirths and ensuring evidence-based care for the tiniest babies, we can make a difference for millions of families,” said Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization. “In the face of global funding cuts, there is a need more than ever to step up collaboration to protect and improve children’s health.”   Even before the current funding crisis, the pace of progress on child survival had already slowed. Since 2015, the annual rate of reduction of under-five mortality has slowed by 42%, and stillbirth reduction has slowed by 53%, compared to 2000–2015.   Almost half of under-five deaths happen within the first month of life, mostly due to premature birth and complications during labour. Beyond the newborn period, infectious diseases, including acute respiratory infections such as pneumonia, malaria, and diarrhoea, are the leading causes of preventable child death. Meanwhile, 45% of late stillbirths occur during labour, often due to maternal infections, prolonged or obstructed labour, and lack of timely medical intervention.   Better access to quality maternal, newborn, and child health care at all levels of the health system will save many more lives, according to the reports. This includes promotive and preventive care in communities, timely visits to health facilities and health professionals at birth, high-quality antenatal and postnatal care, well-child preventive care such as routine vaccinations and comprehensive nutrition programmes, diagnosis and treatment for common childhood illnesses, and specialized care for small and sick newborns.   Most preventable child deaths occur in low-income countries, where essential services, vaccines, and treatments are often inaccessible. The report also show that where a child is born greatly influences their chances of survival.   The risk of death before age five is 80 times higher in the highest-mortality country than the lowest-mortality country, for example, while a child born in sub-Saharan Africa is on average 18 times more likely to die before turning five than one born in Australia and New Zealand. Within countries, the poorest children, those living in rural areas, and those with less-educated mothers face the higher risks.   Stillbirth disparities are just as severe, with nearly 80% occurring in sub-Saharan Africa and Southern Asia, where women are six to eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than women in Europe or North America. Meanwhile, women in low-income countries are eight times more likely to experience a stillbirth than those in high-income countries.   “Disparities in child mortality across and within nations remain one of the greatest challenges of our time,” said the UN DESA Under-Secretary-General, Li Junhua. “Reducing such differences is not just a moral imperative but also a fundamental step towards sustainable development and global equity. Every child deserves a fair chance at life, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure that no child is left behind.”   We call on governments, donors, and partners across the private and public sectors to protect the hard-won gains in saving children’s lives and accelerate efforts. Increased investments are urgently needed to scale up access to proven life-saving health, nutrition, and social protection services for children and pregnant mothers.   * The number of children dying globally before their fifth birthday declined to 4.8 million in 2023, while stillbirths declined modestly, still remaining around 1.9 million, according to reports released today by the United Nations Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). Since 2000, child deaths have dropped by more than half and stillbirths by over a third, fuelled by sustained investments in child survival worldwide. However, progress has slowed and too many children are still being lost to preventable causes.   "Millions of children are alive today because of the global commitment to proven interventions, such as vaccines, nutrition, and access to safe water and basic sanitation,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “But without adequate investments we risk reversing hard-earned gains, with millions more children dying from preventable causes. We cannot allow that to happen.”   http://data.unicef.org/resources/levels-and-trends-in-child-mortality-2024/ http://www.who.int/news/item/25-03-2025-decades-of-progress-in-reducing-child-deaths-and-stillbirths-under-threat--warns-the-united-nations   Mar. 2025   At least 14 million children face disruptions to critical nutrition services in 2025   At least 14 million children are expected to face disruptions to nutrition support and services because of recent and expected global funding cuts, leaving them at heightened risk of severe malnutrition and death – according to analyses issued by UNICEF.   The funding crisis comes at a time of unprecedented need for children who continue to face record levels of displacement, new and protracted conflicts, disease outbreaks, and the deadly consequences of climate change – all of which are undermining their access to adequate nutrition.   “Over the last decades, we have made impressive progress in reducing child malnutrition globally because of a shared commitment and sustained investment,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “Since 2000, the number of stunted children under the age of five has fallen by 55 million, and the lives of millions of severely malnourished children have been saved. But steep funding cuts will dramatically reverse these gains and put the lives of millions more children at risk."   Additional impacts across 17 high priority countries due to funding cuts include:   More than 2.4 million children suffering from severe acute malnutrition could go without Ready-to-use-Therapeutic-Food (RUTF) for the remainder of 2025.   Up to 2,300 life-saving stabilisation centres – providing critical care for children suffering from severe wasting with medical complications – are at risk of closing or severely scaling back services.   Almost 28,000 UNICEF-supported outpatient therapeutic centres for the treatment of malnutrition are at risk, and in some cases have already stopped operating.   Today, levels of severe wasting in children under five remain gravely high in some fragile contexts and humanitarian emergencies. Adolescent girls and women are especially vulnerable. Even before the funding cuts, the number of pregnant and breastfeeding women and adolescent girls suffering from acute malnutrition soared from 5.5 million to 6.9 million – or 25 per cent – since 2020.   UNICEF expects these figures to rise without urgent action from donors as well as adequate investments from national governments.   “UNICEF is calling on governments and donors to prioritise investments in health and nutrition programmes for children and is urging national governments to allocate more funding to domestic nutrition and health services. Good nutrition is the foundation of child survival and development, with impressive returns on investment. Dividends will be measured in stronger families, societies and countries, and a more stable world,” said Russell.   http://www.unicef.org/press-releases/least-14-million-children-face-disruptions-critical-nutrition-services-2025-unicef http://www.wfp.org/news/wfp-calls-urgent-investment-prevent-child-wasting-leaders-convene-nutrition-growth-summit http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161541   * IPC Child Acute Malnutrition Classification latest: http://tinyurl.com/4n25jjbz   Mar. 2025   U.S. to End Vaccine Funding for Poor Children. (NYT, agencies)   The Trump administration intends to terminate the United States’ financial support for Gavi, the organization that has helped purchase critical vaccines for children in developing countries, saving millions of lives over the past quarter century, and to significantly scale back support for efforts to combat malaria, one of the biggest killers globally.   Gavi is estimated to have saved the lives of 19 million children since it was set up 25 years ago with the US contributing 13% of its budget, the New York Times said.   The terminated U.S. grant to Gavi was worth $2.6 billion through 2030. Gavi was counting on a pledge made last year by President Joseph R. Biden Jr. for its next funding cycle.   New vaccines with the promise to save millions of lives in low-income countries, such as one to protect children from severe malaria and another to protect teenage girls against the virus that causes cervical cancer, have recently become available, and Gavi was expanding the portfolio of support it could give those countries.   The loss of U.S. funds will set back the organization’s ability to continue to provide its basic range of services — such as immunization for measles and polio — to children in the poorest countries, let alone expand to include new vaccines.   By Gavi’s own estimate, the loss of U.S. support may mean 75 million children do not receive routine vaccinations in the next five years, with more than 1.2 million children dying as a result.   Mark Suzman’s CEO of the Gates Foundation said: "I am deeply disturbed by news reports that the U.S. Administration is considering withdrawing its support for Gavi. If true, and if Congress allows this to happen, the impacts will be devastating, including possibility of hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of preventable deaths, especially among mothers and children.   http://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/26/health/usaid-cuts-gavi-bird-flu.html http://www.gavi.org/our-alliance/about http://www.gavi.org/news/media-room/statement-global-high-level-summit-support-gavi-replenishment http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/latest/msf-statement-us-decision-withdraw-who http://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/media-center/press-releases/2025/01/us-withdrawal-world-health-organization http://www.who.int/news/item/16-01-2025-who-launches-us-1.5-billion-health-emergency-appeal-to-tackle-unprecedented-global-health-crises   * The Forbes 2024 Billionaires list reports 2,781 people holding combined assets of $14.2 trillion. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports global military spending of over $2700 billion in 2024.   http://www.caritas.org/2025/02/closure-of-usaid-foreign-aid-will-kill-millions/ http://actalliance.org/act-news/act-general-secretary-statement-of-concern-over-us-administration-policies-impacts-on-humanitarian-aid/ http://www.interaction.org/statement/60-ngos-respond-to-terminations-of-life-saving-programs/ http://www.interaction.org/statements http://reliefweb.int/report/world/children-facing-extreme-hunger-crisis-put-risk-aid-cuts-clinics-close http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161366 http://www.unhcr.org/news/press-releases/statement-unhcr-s-filippo-grandi-impact-global-aid-cuts-refugees http://www.unaids.org/en/impact-US-funding-cuts http://www.acaps.org/en/thematics/all-topics/us-funding-freeze http://www.icvanetwork.org/uploads/2025/03/Lives-on-the-Line-Final-Report.pdf http://www.icvanetwork.org/uploads/2025/02/Impact-of-US-Funding-Suspension-Survey-Results-ICVA.pdf http://www.icvanetwork.org/90-day-suspension-order-resources/ http://humanitarianaction.info/document/us-funding-freeze-global-survey http://www.taxobservatory.eu/publication/a-blueprint-for-a-coordinated-minimum-effective-taxation-standard-for-ultra-high-net-worth-individuals/   Mar. 2025   United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Volker Turk remarks to UN Human Rights Council meeting on the Rights of the Child Theme: Early Childhood Development:   "In recent years, we have all seen appalling images of people suffering the horrific effects of conflict, but when it comes to children, they clearly played no part in stoking the violence. They could never be fighters, or armed rebels, or militia members. Because they are small children. Sometimes, babies.   From Sudan to Gaza, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Ukraine, children are bearing the brunt of the global failure to uphold human rights. As international human rights and humanitarian law are broken with impunity, children are the most vulnerable victims.   Even in countries that are at peace, children are routinely denied their rights to food, water and shelter; to education, healthcare and a clean environment.   Children make up a third of humanity. Our experiences during childhood can affect us for our entire lives. And children’s small bodies make them more vulnerable to physical and environmental harms than adults.   Upholding the rights of children is at the heart of our commitment to advancing and safeguarding human rights for all. The Convention on the Rights of the Child is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. This shows the strong commitment of States to protect and promote the rights of every child, without discrimination. Today, we must find our way back to that pledge.   Some 80 percent of our brain develops in the three years after our birth. Early childhood development is an essential foundation for a happy, healthy, fulfilling life. This, in turn, is the basis for strong communities and resilient economies.   Yet the gap between the Convention and reality is increasing. Many children face a precarious future. As action on hunger, poverty and the 2030 Agenda falters, inequality and climate chaos increase.   In the next thirty years, eight times as many children could be exposed to extreme heatwaves, and twice as many to extreme wildfires.   The digital divide means just 25 percent of children in low-income countries are online, compared with more than 95 percent in high-income countries. And children in all countries lack the protections needed to stay safe online.   Decades of progress on children’s rights and development are stagnating and even being rolled back, directly threatening children’s early development and even survival.   Almost one in three children worldwide do not have access to safe drinking water. Two in five children lack access to basic sanitation. One in three children under 5 are not growing and developing as they should, because of malnutrition. Over 385 million children are living in extreme poverty, surviving on less than $1.90 per day.   And for children marginalized by their ethnicity, or their socioeconomic, migration or disability status, the situation is far worse. We are letting children down, instead of lifting them up.   We know what children need to survive and thrive: health care and nutrition, clean air and water, protection from harm, and a sense of nurturing and security.   Initiatives that target the most marginalized children help to break cycles of poverty, for the benefit of entire communities. Investments in early childhood are one of the smartest ways to achieve sustainable economic development. Studies indicate that the economic return can be up to thirteen times the amount invested.   Governments have the primary responsibility to fulfil children’s rights. But the private sector, civil society, educational institutions and many other stakeholders have an interest – and a responsibility, when it comes to the wellbeing of children. We must all work together to provide children with the best possible chances in life.   A child’s early years are a vital window of opportunity, and their life chances should not depend on luck. In these troubling times, we must stand up together for the full implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. We must revitalize investment in children – all children, everywhere".   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/03/1161111   * UN Human Rights Council 2025 Annual discussion on rights of the child; Early Childhood Development: UN WebTV: Day 1 video broadcast starts at 1hr 05 minutes in:   http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k1y/k1ygkhegr5 http://webtv.un.org/en/asset/k16/k16ycl95hy Visit the related web page
	The positive role of the International Criminal Court by ICC, UN News, WICC, agencies International Criminal Court, agencies   6 June 2025   US decision to sanction ICC judges ‘deeply corrosive’ to justice: UN rights chief. (UN News)   The US Government’s announcement of sanctions against four judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday has been condemned by Volker Turk, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, as “deeply corrosive of good governance and the due administration of justice.”   Mr. Turk was responding to an announcement by Marco Rubio, the US Secretary of State, on Thursday, of measures targeting the judges, who are overseeing a 2020 case of alleged war crime committed in Afghanistan by US and Afghan military forces, and the 2024 ICC arrest warrants issued against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Yoav Gallant, the former Defence Minister.   “I am profoundly disturbed by the decision of the Government of the United States of America to sanction judges of the International Criminal Court – specifically four women judges, from Benin, Peru, Slovenia and Uganda – who had been part of rulings in the situations in Afghanistan or in the State of Palestine,” said Turk, who called for the prompt reconsideration and withdrawal of the measures.   The sanctions, the statement continues, attack the judges for performing their judicial functions, an act which, he said, runs “directly counter to respect for the rule of law and the equal protection of the law.”   The statement by Mr. Turk follows the ICC’s strongly worded press release on Thursday, describing the sanctions as “a clear attempt to undermine the independence of an international judicial institution which operates under the mandate from 125 States Parties from all corners of the globe.”   The ICC reinforced its position on Friday with a release from the Assembly of State Parties –the management oversight and legislative body of the court – rejecting the US sanctions which, it declared, “risk undermining global efforts to ensure accountability for the gravest crimes of concern to the international community and erode the shared commitment to the rule of law, the fight against impunity, and the preservation of a rules-based international order.”   http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/06/1164136 http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/international-criminal-court-deplores-new-sanctions-us-administration-against-icc-officials http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/presidency-assembly-states-parties-expresses-deep-concern-and-rejects-us-measures-targeting http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements-and-speeches/2025/06/comment-un-human-rights-chief-volker-turk-us-imposition-sanctions   7 Feb. 2025   Statement of ICC President Judge Tomoko Akane following the issuance of US Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on the International Criminal Court:   I note with deep regret the issuance by the United States of an Executive Order seeking to impose sanctions on the officials of the International Criminal Court (ICC, Court), harm the Court’s independence and its impartiality and deprive millions of innocent victims of atrocities of justice and hope.   The ICC is a judicial body which performs functions that align with the interests of the international community by enforcing and promoting universally recognised rules of international law, including the law of armed conflicts and human rights law.   As atrocities continue to plague the globe affecting the lives of millions of innocent children, women and men, the Court has become indispensable. It represents the most significant legacy of the immense suffering inflicted on civilians by the world wars, the Holocaust, genocides, violence and persecutions.When most of the States of the world gathered to draft the Rome Statute, they made the dream of many women and men come true. Today, the ICC is dealing with proceedings arising from different Situations across the world, in strict adherence to the provisions of the Rome Statute.   The announced Executive Order is only the latest in a series of unprecedented and escalatory attacks aiming to undermine the Court’s ability to administer justice in all Situations. Such threats and coercive measures constitute serious attacks against the Court’s States Parties, the rule of law based international order and millions of victims.   The ICC and its officials from all over the world realise daily its judicial mandate to determine whether certain individual conducts, within its legitimate jurisdiction, give rise to responsibility for international crimes.   We firmly reject any attempt to influence the independence and the impartiality of the Court or to politicise our judicial function. We have and always will comply only with the law, under all circumstances.   The ICC stands firmly by its personnel and pledges to continue providing justice and hope to millions of innocent victims of atrocities across the world, in all Situations before it, in the sole interest of human dignity.   I call upon all those who share the values enshrined in the Statute to stand united in the Court’s defence: our 125 States Parties, civil society and all nations of the world.   23 Jan. 2025   Statement by the Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties in support of the independence and impartiality of the International Criminal Court:   The Bureau of the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute expresses its deep concern over sanctions measures against the International Criminal Court (“the Court”) and its personnel, as well as individuals and entities who assist it in investigating, arresting, detaining, or prosecuting certain individuals.   Sanctions can severely hamper ongoing investigations in all situations and other activities of the Court and affect the safety of victims, witnesses and sanctioned individuals.   The Bureau regrets any attempts to undermine the Court’s independence, integrity and impartiality. We reiterate our firm commitment to uphold and defend the principles and values enshrined in the Rome Statute and to preserve its integrity undeterred by any threats or measures against the Court, its officials, its personnel and those cooperating with it.   The Rome Statute represents an international commitment to end impunity for the most serious crimes of concern to the international community as a whole. Safeguarding the Court’s integrity, including its judicial and prosecutorial independence, is fundamental to the successful discharge of its mandate to ensure accountability for such crimes and deliver justice to victims equally.   The Bureau emphasizes that the Assembly of States Parties stands firmly by the International Criminal Court, its elected officials, its personnel, and those cooperating with the Court. We stress the importance of the International Criminal Court in defending international justice and call on all States, international organizations and civil society to respect its independence and impartiality.   * The Bureau of the Assembly consists of a President, two Vice-Presidents and 18 members elected by the Assembly for three-year terms. The Bureau has a representative character and assists the Assembly in the discharge of its responsibilities.   http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-icc-president-judge-tomoko-akane-following-issuance-us-executive-order-seeking http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/statement-bureau-assembly-states-parties-support-independence-and-impartiality-international http://www.icc-cpi.int/news/icc-statement-occasion-80th-anniversary-auschwitz-liberation http://buildingtrust.si/79-states-parties-in-support-of-the-icc/   Jan. 2025   Open Letter to U.S.Congress and the incoming Presedential Administration regarding US Sanctions on the ICC, from the Washington Working Group on the International Criminal Court (WICC).   To Members of the 119th Congress and the incoming Presidential Administration of Donald J. Trump:   The undersigned organizations write to express grave concerns and to unequivocally oppose the use of the sanctions authority of the United States to attack the International Criminal Court (ICC), an independent judicial institution dedicated to combating impunity for the gravest crimes known to humanity.   The ICC performs a vital role in international affairs by investigating the worst international crimes that shock the collective conscience of humanity and investigating those accused of committing those crimes. It does so in a manner that protects the due process rights of the accused, the sovereignty of states, including the United States, and the rights of victims. As has been widely observed, supporting the work of the Court is in the interest of the United States, and sanctioning it, conversely, undermines important US interests.   The positive role of the ICC has been recognized through previous bipartisan support for investigations into war crimes allegedly perpetrated by Russian officials in the Ukraine conflict (S.Res.531 and H.Res.963), attempts to bring justice for the victims of gross human rights violations in Myanmar, and as a pathway to accountability for perpetrators of atrocities in Sudan.   Many of the undersigned spoke out when the previous Trump administration subjected two senior ICC officials to sanctions and travel restrictions. At that time, we cautioned that it was “uniquely dangerous, extreme, and unprecedented to utilize a mechanism designed to penalize criminals, their aiders, and abettors, against an independent judicial institution.”   The previous sanctions against the Prosecutor and a member of her team raised serious concerns about the ICC’s ability to fulfill its mandate, including the Prosecutor’s obligation to report to the UN Security Council on the situations in Darfur and Libya, and to participate in the annual meetings of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP), the ICC’s oversight management and legislative body, where the US participates as an Observer.   In 2024, the House of Representatives passed the so-called “Illegitimate Court Counteraction Act.” Although the bill’s full scope was ambiguous, the legislative intent was to punish foreign persons who aid, materially assist, or provide financial support for efforts by the ICC to undertake certain investigations and prosecutions. The Biden administration strongly opposed the bill and the previous Senate did not vote on the legislation.   As human rights, legal, and faith-based organizations, the foundations of civil society, as well as individuals who have dedicated their careers to these causes, we decry attempts to attack an independent judicial institution and urge the 119th Congress and incoming administration to reconsider this misguided position.   Asset freezes and entry restrictions are tools intended to combat individuals and entities constituting a threat to US national security, such as kleptocrats committing grand corruption, gross human rights offenders, and perpetrators of war crimes and crimes against humanity. By applying these measures to a court that 125 countries – and on two occasions, the United Nations Security Council – have entrusted with providing accountability for atrocity crimes, the United States has brought upon itself the stigma of siding with impunity over justice.   In fact, Russia sanctioned some of the court’s judges last year, and the United States should not similarly adopt such vindictive tools. Such actions jeopardize the ability of desperate victims across all the court’s investigations to access justice, weaken the credibility of sanction tools in other contexts, and place the United States at odds with its closest allies.   The ICC represents and constitutes part of a global system of international justice of which the United States was a chief architect at Nuremberg and beyond. Today, the ICC, alongside other tribunals, regional mechanisms, and national courts, is carrying forward these efforts through investigations and prosecutions that could help realize justice for atrocity victims from Sudan to Myanmar to Ukraine.   As a court of last resort, the ICC only can intervene when and where a State has demonstrated unwillingness or inability to hold its nationals to account for crimes within the Court’s jurisdiction. The ICC therefore provides an essential backstop for victims who have no other recourse to justice. The use of sanctions has the potential for wide-reaching impact against this institution dedicated to advancing justice for victims.   The proposed sanctions were prompted by the arrest warrants issued on November 21, 2024, for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. Practically, sanctioning the court or its officials would halt its work across all situations that are under its purview, including those critically important to the United States, such as the situation in Ukraine and in Sudan.   US citizens who represent victims and survivors also could be implicated for their work to help achieve justice for perpetrators of atrocity crimes.   The idea that justice can be selectively used to advance geopolitical concerns is a moral affront to all those who are in peril and an abrogation of the universality of human rights. An attack on the ICC in one situation is an attack on the rule of law itself.   At an historical moment when the global rule of law is under attack from multiple fronts, institutions like the International Criminal Court are needed more than ever to advance human rights protections and the universal goal of preventing future atrocities and advancing justice for victims.   Instead, sanctions send a signal that could embolden authoritarian regimes and others with reason to fear accountability who seek to evade justice. It is essential that the United States answer any allegation of wrongdoing in a manner that does not betray the cause of global justice, abandon international cooperation, or compromise support for human dignity and rights.   It would be a terrible irony if a tool designed to penalize gross violators of human rights could instead contribute to their continued impunity.   We urge other governments, Members of Congress, and advocates for victims everywhere to raise their voices to oppose attacks on the independence and autonomy of international judicial institutions like the ICC. We invite allies of justice to join us in standing against these destructive measures.   http://www.washingtonicc.org/2025-open-letter-regarding-sanctions-on-icc http://coalitionfortheicc.org/oppose-sanctions-against-ICC-safeguard-victims-access-justice http://www.coalitionfortheicc.org/cicc-urges-states-parties-defend-icc http://humanrightsfirst.org/library/sanctioning-the-icc-sets-back-justice-promoting-efforts-around-the-world/ http://www.justsecurity.org/110266/no-immunity-icc-respect/ http://news.un.org/en/story/2025/01/1158896 http://www.ohchr.org/en/press-releases/2025/01/un-experts-urge-us-senate-reject-international-criminal-court-sanctions-bill http://www.ohchr.org/en/opinion-editorial/2025/01/antisemitism   28 Oct. 2024   Demand for International Criminal Court’s work unprecedented amid record high threats, coercive measures worldwide, ICC President tells UN General Assembly. (UN News)   Speaking before the United Nations General Assembly, Tomoko Akane, President of the International Criminal Court (ICC), said the past year has been marked by an unparalleled increase in demand for the Court’s work, along with unprecedented levels of threats, pressures and coercive measures which pose a serious threat to administering justice.   “Let me be very clear on this. We cannot give up. We will not give up,” Ms. Akane told delegates. Presenting the criminal tribunal’s annual report of its activities from 1 August 2023 to 31 July 2024, she said, it is “sadly” becoming increasingly more relevant in today’s world. “I say sadly, because this reflects a painful reality that countless innocent civilians live in pain and misery in all regions of the globe,” she added.   Stressing the Court is not a political institution, she said its judges will always be fully independent and impartial in carrying out their duties. “We are only bound by the law and we do not change the course of our actions due to threats, be them political or of another nature,” she said, adding: “We will continue abiding by our mandate undeterred, with integrity, determination, impartiality and independence at all times.”   The number of States parties to the Court will reach 125 — about two-thirds of the international community — on 1 January 2025, when Ukraine officially becomes a member after having deposited its instrument of ratification of the Rome Statute, the Court’s founding treaty, on 25 October.   Detailing the Court’s “extraordinarily busy period” for the past 12 months, she said there were outstanding arrest warrants against 20 individuals, including four arrest warrants issued concerning the Ukraine situation in 2024, when the report was submitted.   On 4 October 2024, Pre-Trial Chamber I unsealed six arrest warrants in the Libya situation, bringing the total to 26. This does not include many other warrants issued under seal and the enormous work done by the different Pre-Trial Chambers, she said.   While continuing to enhance its tracking capabilities, arrest warrants cannot be executed without States’ cooperation. “Again, the Court urges all UN Member States to assist the Court by cooperating on the arrest and transfer of individuals subject to outstanding ICC arrest warrants,” she said.   The Court’s first in absentia confirmation case is being held regarding the situation in Uganda on the charges against Joseph Kony. The victims of his alleged crimes have been awaiting justice for over 18 years.   At the trial level, Trial Chamber X convicted Al Hassan Ag Abdoul Aziz Ag Mohamed Ag Mahmoud of crimes against humanity and war crimes committed between 2 April 2012 and 29 January 2013 in Timbuktu, northern Mali, in the context of control by Ansar Dine and Al-Qa’ida in the Lands of the Islamic Maghreb, known as AQIM. The Chamber’s sentencing decision is scheduled for 20 November.   Hearings continued in the Yekatom and Ngaïssona and the Said cases from the situation in the Central African Republic and in the Abd-Al-Rahman case from the situation in Darfur.   During the reporting period, the Chambers issued 532 written decisions, in addition to oral and email decisions, and 158 hearings were held, she said. In 2023, 14 arrest warrants were issued, including those under seal.   Turning to the Court’s mandate towards victims of mass atrocities, she said reparations are an integral part of the tribunal’s proceedings. Reparations proceedings in the Katanga case concluded in April, with a closing ceremony held in Bunia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, marking a historic milestone.   Reparations orders in several other cases are being implemented and about 24,000 individuals, 53 per cent more than in 2023, are directly benefiting from medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, socioeconomic support, education and peacebuilding activities through the Trust Fund for Victims. Sixty-nine per cent of the beneficiaries are women.   “We are truly at a turning point in history. The rule-based approach to the conduct of hostilities and global affairs and the very notion of international criminal justice is under significant threat,” she said. “It is up to the international community to decide whether the rule of law at the international level should be defended or whether we ought to revert to the rule of power”.   Cooperation with United Nations crucial for advancing Global Justice   Philemon Yang, UN General Assembly President said that while the Court is separate from the United Nations, cooperation between the two institutions is crucial to advance global justice and promote international peace and security.   At the heart of the Rome Statute is the principle of complementarity, which recognizes that the Court functions as a court of last resort, only exercising its jurisdiction where national courts fail to do so.   “Accordingly, strengthening justice systems at the national level, including through capacity-building initiatives should be a priority for us all,” he said.   Noting the conflicts in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan have seen the potential commission of heinous crimes, he said it is vital that impunity in these situations is not tolerated.   “States must prioritize accountability, ensure justice for victims and restore a sense of security within affected communities,” he stressed.   http://press.un.org/en/2024/ga12548.doc.htm http://asp.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/asp_docs/ASP-23-STMT-PICC-ENG.pdf http://asp.icc-cpi.int/sites/default/files/asp_docs/ASP-23-STMT-PROS-ENG.pdf http://www.icc-cpi.int/news Visit the related web page
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