Launch of the
Gender Report Card on the ICC 2013

Dear Friends,

Welcome to the Gender Report Card on the International Criminal Court 2013, launched by the Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice on 20 March 2014. The Gender Report Card is one of the monitoring and advocacy strategies utilised by the Women’s Initiatives to track and analyse progress, challenges and advances in the field of international criminal law with a focus on gender justice in particular.

In addition to the annual Gender Report Card, the Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice also produces two regular eLetters: the Legal Eye on the ICC and Women’s Voices. In the Legal Eye, you will find summaries and gender analysis of judicial decisions and other legal developments at the International Criminal Court (ICC), and discussion of legal issues arising from victims' participation before the Court, particularly as these issues relate to the prosecution of gender-based crimes in each of the Situations under investigation by the ICC. The Court currently has eight Situations under investigation: Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Darfur (Sudan), the Central African Republic (CAR), Kenya, Libya, Côte d'Ivoire and Mali. In Women's Voices, you will find updates and analysis on political developments, the pursuit of justice and accountability, the participation of women in peace talks and reconciliation efforts from the perspective of women's rights activists within armed conflict situations, specifically in those countries under investigation by the ICC.

More information about the work of the Women's Initiatives for Gender Justice and previous issues of the Gender Report Card, Women's Voices and Legal Eye on the ICC can be found on our website at www.iccwomen.org.

Gender Report Card 2013

The Gender Report Card 2013 provides an overview of all Situations and cases before the Court, and outlines and analyses charges brought by the Office of the Prosecutor for gender-based crimes. It summarises the most significant developments within the unprecedented number of trials underway or awaiting judgement before the Court during 2013. For the first time, the Gender Report Card 2013 contains a section highlighting developments in the Court’s ongoing appeals proceedings.

The Gender Report Card 2013 also covers other issues of note in relation to the participation, protection and support of victims and witnesses, including changes to the victim participation application process and the allegations of sexual violence committed against witnesses under the Court’s protection, as well as the ICC’s response to these allegations.

Additionally, the Gender Report Card 2013 provides a comprehensive analysis of important developments during the ASP, including the proposal and ultimate adoption of three amendments to the Rules of Procedure and Evidence, as well as the adoption of a resolution that fully operationalised the Court’s Independent Oversight Mechanism.

Departing from previous editions, the Gender Report Card 2013 does not contain a section on Structures and Institutional Development. Given that two editions of the Gender Report Card will be published during 2014 on an exceptional basis, structures and institutional development will be comprehensively addressed in the 2014 issue of the Gender Report Card, which will be launched during the Assembly of States Parties in December 2014.

The Women’s Initiatives will also address other noteworthy decisions and developments not covered in the Gender Report Card 2013 in forthcoming publications, including editions of the Legal Eye on the ICC eLetter, and the Gender Report Card 2014.

The Gender Report Card 2013 provides the most comprehensive gender analysis of the ICC currently available.

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