Women Initiatives for Gender Justice Research Report: Judicial approaches to sexual and gender based violence at the International Criminal Court - Structural shortcomings, critical improvements and future possibilities of intersectional justice

The report assesses the adjudication of sexual and gender-based crimes (SGBC) as an intrinsic part of the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) work concerned with the investigation and prosecution of ‘individuals charged with the gravest crimes of concern to the international community. The composition of the bench and dynamics of adjudication create the ICC's ‘judicial culture’, which manifests on a spectrum between judicial activism and reticence. This is reflected, among others, in the adjudication of SGBC. The report demonstrates the importance for Judges to move from reactivity to proactivity in their approach towards the adjudication of SGBC and provides recommendations.