Universal Jurisdiction

"Universal Jurisdiction: Meeting the Challenge through NGO Cooperation" was the fourth in an informal series that was first prompted by the 1998 arrest of former Chilean President Augusto Pinochet. This series of meetings held in Geneva, London, Paris and New York has aimed to provide a forum for exchange of information, ideas and strategies, and for enhancing cooperation among organizations committed to making universal jurisdiction over international crimes an effective legal reality. The New York conference was the first to broaden participation to include NGOs from Africa, Asia and Latin America.

The last four years have only underscored the need for such forum and for continued action in this area. The Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court has entered into force, creating an important window of opportunity for law reform as governments review national law for compliance with ICC obligations and to ensure that international crimes can be prosecuted domestically. Utilizing this opportunity to the fullest extent requires capacity, awareness, and coordination on the part of NGOs. The broader base of national legislation makes it even more vital that NGOs act intensively and in coordination, both within and across borders, to ensure the best possible development of the resulting jurisprudence. Cases that have recently engaged courts in West Africa, Latin America, Europe and elsewhere demonstrate this need.

The New York conference brought together leading organizations in the field of universal jurisdiction for two and a half days of discussion immediately in advance of the ninth session of the United Nations Preparatory Commission for the ICC. Our discussions were broad enough to encompass the subject, but had a practical and legal emphasis that met our needs as organizations engaged in making universal jurisdiction effective in practice. The agenda was divided into four major themes: law reform, casework, public (including judicial and prosecutorial) education, and information exchange (including development of databases). A final session on the third morning allowed organizations with a regional or country focus (on Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the United States) to meet separately in order to focus on issues and details particular to the geographical area of greatest interest to them.

A broader aim of this meeting is to contribute to the development of networks among organizations in order to facilitate our ongoing work. As a result, we invited NGOs from Africa, Asia and Latin America for the first time as well as encouraging participation from organizations that have a sustained history of international involvement in this area.

With special thanks to the Ford Foundation for providing funding for "Universal Jurisdiction: Meeting the Challenge through NGO Cooperation"

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