IBA International Criminal Court and International Criminal Law (ICC & ICL) Programme

Our Work

The IBA International Criminal Court & International Criminal Law (ICC & ICL) Programme, based in The Hague, works to increase cooperation with and support for the ICC and other accountability efforts, with the goal of strengthening the Rome Statute system globally and achieving fair, effective, and accessible justice for victims of genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and aggression.

  • We consult and engage with the Office of the Prosecutor, Presidency, and Registry of the ICC, with the independent Offices of Public Counsel for the Defence and Victims, and with the ICC Bar Association. We also consult with State representatives, civil society organisations, academics, and international lawyers. The IBA ICC & ICL Programme is the IBA's representative to official bodies of the ICC, including the Assembly of States Parties, and is the IBA's representative to the NGO Coalition for the ICC. 
  • We collaborate with key partners on activities to increase engagement of the global legal community with the ICC and on international law. 
  • We monitor and analyse emerging issues of particular relevance to lawyers. Our substantive work includes thematic legal analysis of proceedings, ad hoc evaluations of legal, administrative, and institutional issues which could potentially affect the development of international justice, and expert legal analysis on issues relevant to our mandate. Programme information is disseminated through reports, expert discussions, workshops and other events.
  • We support the development of international criminal lawyers, through the annual IBA ICC Moot Court Competition, and through the ICC & ICL Legal Internship Programme.

Since its establishment in 2005, the IBA ICC & ICL Programme has contributed to the development of international criminal justice through monitoring and analysing issues related to fairness and equality of arms at the ICC, and through conducting outreach to deepen the understanding of the place of the ICC within the broader landscape of international justice and in particular contexts.

Perspectives & Reports Programme advocacy

The 23rd Assembly of States Parties

The 23rd session of the Assembly of States Parties took place from 2-6 December 2024 in The Hague, the Netherlands. The IBA was represented by the IBA ICC & ICL Programme.

In advance of the ASP, the IBA ICC & ICL Programme issued its briefing paper setting out Priorities and Recommendations for the 23rd ASP Session. The IBA presented these priorities and recommendations to ICC States Parties ahead of the Assembly session, and reiterated the recommendations during the ASP through direct engagement with key stakeholders. 

The ICC & ICL Programme convened a panel discussion on 'Strengthening the ICC's Toolkit for Arrest and Surrender', co-hosted by Belgium, Finland, France, Poland, Senegal, South Africa, the Coalition for the ICC, Human Rights First, Human Rights Watch and the Southern Africa Litigation Centre. The event brough together States Party representatives, ICC officials, Practitioners and experts, and civil society organisations to discuss innovations and strategies for arest and surrender. The President of the Assembly of States PArties, H.E. Paivi Kaukoranta, delivered remarks during the event. The IBA ICC & ICL Programme shared with States Parties the second edition of the Programme publication 'Strengthening the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute system: A Guide for States Parties', offering an updated set of recommendations for States PArties and the Assembly to fulfil their responsibilities and obligations under the Rome Statute. 

The ICC & ICL Programme co-hosted a side event on 'Financial Accountability at the International Criminal Court: Are States ready to comply with ICC Asset Recovery Requests?' with Redress, and further co-hosted a side event on 'Gender Justice: Avenues for Ensuring Accountability for Gender-Based Crimes in Afghanistan' together with the IBA Human Rights Institute and other partner organisations.

Read our news release on the conclusion of the ASP session. 

Strengthening the ICC and the Rome Statute System: A Guide for States Parties

Strengthening the International Criminal Court and the Rome Statute System: A Guide for States Parties (2nd Edition, October 2024)

Strengthening the ICC and the Rome Statute System: A Guide for States Parties provides detailed guidance and recommendations for all existing and future States Parties to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations in the Rome Statute and guarantee a stronger and more effective ICC.

Part 1 focuses on the role that all States Parties should play in ensuring the Assembly’s effective oversight of the ICC.

Part 2 calls on all States Parties to establish comprehensive and effective national frameworks to implement their individual obligations to investigate and prosecute Rome Statute crimes nationally, in accordance with the principle of complementarity, and to cooperate fully with the ICC’s judicial processes.

Part 3 examines the role that States Parties should play individually and collectively through the Assembly to promote the universal ratification of the Rome Statute, to ensure that all States Parties implement their responsibilities and obligations under the Rome Statute, and to protect the Court from political attacks.

The Guide has been structured to be a resource for representatives of States Parties, and other stakeholders, to support the effective functioning of the ICC, including through the development and regular review of effective national implementing legislation.

The second edition of the Guide for States Parties, published in October 2024, offers an updated set of recommendations for States Parties and the Assembly that takes into account the implementation of many of the recommendations of the Independent Expert Review of the ICC as well as the new Court and Assembly leadership, bringing fresh perspectives and strategies to advance the work of the Court.

Download the guide

IBA ICC Moot Court Competition

Since 2017 the IBA has partnered with Leiden University’s Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies to stage the IBA ICC Moot Court Competition, which attracts law students from across the globe to test and sharpen their skills for careers as international lawyers. As of 2021, a new five-year Memorandum of Understanding positions the IBA as the primary supporting partner of the event. 

Find out more

The IBA ICC & ICL Legal Internship Programme (The Hague)

The ICC & ICL Legal Internship Programme takes place at the IBA Hague office with a mix of in person and remote work. Updates and any other information on how and when to apply can be found by clicking the button below. Intern positions are only available to graduate law students, postgraduate law students, and newly qualified lawyers.

No internships are currently available for the IBA ICC & ICL Programme.

Internship opportunities

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