Legal Commentary

ICC sees African Women Counsel

By Ory Okolloh

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Last week the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the International Bar Association (IBA) jointly launched a six-month campaign to increase the number of women lawyers authorised to represent defendants or victims at the International Criminal Court (ICC). In this first phase the campaign will focus on African countries.

To date, women counsel are still under-represented on the ICC List of Counsel. In particular, the ICC recognises the need to increase the number of women counsel from African countries, including those countries with situations under investigation before the ICC. Currently, less than four per cent of all members of the ICC List of Counsel are African women. Until the end of 2010, applications from qualified African female lawyers will be given priority

Signing up is a straightforward process: Comprehensive information packages will be distributed via law societies and national bar associations in African countries. In addition, special information events will be organised by the ICC and national bar associations in both African and European countries.

In the meantime, electronic copies of information packages can be downloaded from the website: www.icc-cpi.int or requested from e-mail: femalecounsel-at-icc-cpi.int.

Requests for further information may also be sent by post to the following address:

Registry of the International Criminal Court
Counsel Support Section
(Ref: List of Counsel or List of Assistants to Counsel as applicable)
PO Box 19519
2500 CM The Hague
The Netherlands

Full post as published by Kenyan Pundit on May 21, 2010 (boomark / email).