ICC Judge Aluoch addressing lawyers

On Friday, 29 July 2011, Judge Joyce Aluoch, who is assigned to the Trial Division of the International Criminal Court (ICC or the Court), completed a five-day trip to Kenya and Rwanda, where she met with members of the legal and academic communities to raise awareness about the ICC’s mandate and activities as well as to encourage female lawyers to apply to practice before the Court.   ICC Judge Joyce Aluoch engages with legal and academic communities in Kenya and Rwanda. On 25 July, over 20 lawyers from Kisumu (Kenya) and, on 28 July, 80 lawyers from Kigali (Rwanda), attended information sessions organised in partnership with local bar associations and law societies as part of the “Calling African Female Lawyers” campaign conducted by the Court. Judge Aluoch explained to attendees that “African female lawyers are conspicuously missing at the ICC and this campaign is aimed to encourage you to enlist to the ICC List of Counsel and Assistants to Counsel in order to fill this gap”. Judge Aluoch emphasized that “vulnerable groups of victims, including women and children, who have suffered serious offences which fall under the jurisdiction of the Court often have great difficulty in openly sharing their experiences with others, and therefore stand to gain immeasurably from being represented by qualified female lawyers with whom they can feel more at ease and who can ably represent their interests before the Court”. Taking the opportunity of her presence in the region, Judge Aluoch also gave a lecture on 29 July to 160 students at the National University of Rwanda, regarding “Recent developments and future prospects of the ICC”. During the lecture, Judge Aluoch encouraged students to get involved in the ICC’s work. She also explained: “the growing support for the ICC is very encouraging. It is a sign of determination of the international community to fight impunity and achieve accountability. Ending impunity is a task that concerns us all and requires our concerted efforts”. These events, organised as part of the ICC’s public information strategy for 2011-2013, aim to increase awareness of the ICC within legal and academic communities as well as to keep members of these communities engaged in direct and constructive dialogue with the Court.