Sufficient resources
International justice costs a fraction of the conflicts that make it necessary.
Countries that belong to the International Criminal Court should provide the resources the Court needs to deliver meaningful justice in all situations.
The Court’s states parties collectively share responsibility for ensuring appropriate resources for the entire Court through setting its annual regular budget. However, countries are not living up to this commitment. There is a significant gap between the Court’s workload, and the resources available to it. This has reduced the Court’s effectiveness and delayed victims’ access to justice.
The Court, for its part, should also deliver a rigorous, disciplined budget proposal based on transparent practices, strategies and assumptions. The Court's budget should be based on what it needs to bring justice to victims of grave crimes wherever they may be in the world, not what it believes States will approve.
Ensuring states allocate appropriate resources
Ensuring sufficient budgetary resources for the Court is the best protection for prosecutorial and judicial independence, so decisions can be taken and implemented by reference only to the applicable law and to the fairness of proceedings rather than the resources available.
How the ICC budget is decided and paid for
Each year, the International Criminal Court develops a request to the states parties for its programme budget for the following year.
A subsidiary expert body of the Assembly of States Parties (ASP)— the Committee on Budget and Finance — assists with this complex budgeting process throughout the year. Final approval of the Court’s budget is then given by the ASP at its annual session, usually in November or December.
ICC states parties pay a yearly contribution based on their gross national income.
Civil society monitoring of ICC resources
The Coalition follows closely developments related to the Court’s budget, calling attention to the significant and long-standing gap between the Court’s workload and the resources available to it in its regular budget.
Civil society also often participates in sessions of the Committee on Budget and Finance, briefing on certain issues on the Committee’s agenda as it considers the proposed budget prepared by the Court.
How do I learn more?
Get in touch with the Coalition, advocacy@coalitionfortheicc.org.
