[Poor audio] Second part of footage from a panel on "Perspectives from the Tribunals," organized by the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice as part of the 2nd
Preparatory Commission for the International Criminal Court in August 1999. Panelists were Wendy Lobwein, a support officer in the victim-witness unit at the ICTY; Francoise Ngendahayo, advisor
on gender issues and assistance to victims in the ICTR; the Hon. Elizabeth Odio-Benito, Vice-President of Costa Rica and a former judge at the ICTY; and Dr. Sara Sharratt, a
former NGO Observer at the ICTY. Dr. Yael Danieli, of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children, moderated. Annette
Lyth served as rapporteur.
Continuation of presentation by Wendy Lobwein, discussing the work of the Victim and Witness unit of the ICTY. Lobwein talks about some of the emerging
issues that they are exploring, including witness preparation, legal privilege, and legal advice. She then describes a 2-year study to find a means for witnesses to evaluate the services of the
unit. Yael Danieli then opens to floor to questions. An audience member asks Lobwein for more information on the study, specifically on the inclusion of children born from rape. Françoise
Ngendahayo then fields a question about providing legal advice to witnesses. An audience member asks about procedures, and a woman explains that the procedures followed by judges in the former
Yugoslavia are different than the US and is therefore unsure how the trials will proceed. Elizabeth Odio Benito states that procedures must be clearly articulated. Ngendahayo adds that they
will try to find the right structure.
[2nd Preparatory Commission of the International Criminal Court (ICC Prepcom), "Perspectives from the Tribunals" panel, part 2]
Abstract:
[Poor audio] Second part of footage from a panel on "Perspectives from the Tribunals," organized by the Women's Caucus for Gender Justice as part of the 2nd Preparatory Commission for
the International Criminal Court in August 1999. Panelists were Wendy Lobwein, a support officer in the victim-witness unit at the ICTY; Francoise Ngendahayo, advisor on gender issues and
assistance to victims in the ICTR; the Hon. Elizabeth Odio-Benito, Vice-President of Costa Rica and a former judge at the ICTY; and Dr. Sara Sharratt, a former NGO Observer at the ICTY. Dr.
Yael Danieli, of the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the Group Project for Holocaust Survivors and their Children, moderated. Annette Lyth served as rapporteur.
Continuation of presentation by Wendy Lobwein, discussing the work of the Victim and Witness unit of the ICTY. Lobwein talks about some of the emerging issues that they are exploring, including
witness preparation, legal privilege, and legal advice. She then describes a 2-year study to find a means for witnesses to evaluate the services of the unit. Yael Danieli then opens to floor to
questions. An audience member asks Lobwein for more information on the study, specifically on the inclusion of children born from rape. Françoise Ngendahayo then fields a question about
providing legal advice to witnesses. An audience member asks about procedures, and a woman explains that the procedures followed by judges in the former Yugoslavia are different than the US and
is therefore unsure how the trials will proceed. Elizabeth Odio Benito states that procedures must be clearly articulated. Ngendahayo adds that they will try to find the right
structure.
Sequence:
1 of 1
Creators:
WITNESSRole: Creator
Women's Caucus for Gender JusticeRole: Creator
Publisher:
WITNESS; Women's Caucus for Gender Justice; University of Texas Libraries
Date Created:
1998/08/04
Topics:
civil and political rights--women's rights
laws, justice, and judicial proceedings--witnesses
laws, justice, and judicial proceedings--testimonies
armed conflict and persecution--war crimes
advocacy, activism, and responses to persecution--conferences
Named Entities:
Intl Criminal Court (ICC)
Intl Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda (ICTR)
Intl Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)
Languages:
eng
Geographic Focuses:
Africa--Rwanda
Europe--Serbia and Montenegro
North and Central America--United States--New York--New York
Geographic Base:
North and Central America--United States--New York--Brooklyn
Type of Resource:
Moving image
Genre:
Unedited
Notes:
The Women's Caucus was formed in February 1997, to intervene in the ongoing Preparatory Committee meetings for the establishment of an International Criminal Court at the United Nations.
Women realized that without an organized caucus, women's concerns would not be actively defended in the documents and process of creation of an International Criminal Court. The legal issues in
the ICC are complex and sensitive. They require people from different legal systems and cultures to arrive at a consensus on specific issues that may challenge local traditions or beliefs. The
gender-related issues are particularly sensitive, as they are not as well understood. Gender-related crimes are often perceived to be private or individual crimes that do not rise to the level
of international human rights law, or that are perceived to be taken care of by a "neutral" statute. However, the experience of women has been that neutrality usually results in leaving out
crimes against women and the ways that women, because of their socially constructed roles in society, are disproportionately affected. It was these concerns that the Women's Caucus sought to
address in the process of creation of an International Criminal Court. By advocating the codification of crimes of sexual, reproductive and gender violence, and inclusion of gender sensitive
processes and criteria for personnel, the Caucus tried to ensure that the Court has capacity to implement justice for women.
Identifier:
3227_B01571
Rights:
This electronic resource is made available by the University of Texas Libraries solely for the purposes of research, teaching and private study. All intellectual
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content must be obtained from the copyright holder.
