Intersectoral Fora for Social Transition
Advocacy / Human rights
The International Criminal Justice Congress: Progress and Challenges in the Fight Against Impunity aims to create a space for reflection and analysis on the current challenges facing international criminal justice, with a particular focus on the International Criminal Court (ICC) and the fight against impunity.
Through roundtables and expert panels, the congress will address key topics such as progress in prosecuting international crimes, victims’ rights, international cooperation, and political and structural obstacles that hinder the effectiveness of global justice.
In recent years, the ICC has faced political attacks and difficulties securing state cooperation, limiting its ability to investigate and prosecute international crimes, especially in contexts of impunity and prolonged conflicts. These challenges highlight the urgent need to reflect on the achievements to date and the ongoing obstacles in the fight against impunity.
The congress will bring together academics, legal professionals, representatives of international organizations, and civil society to discuss necessary reforms and strategies to strengthen international cooperation. Topics will include the impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence in investigating international crimes, as well as the importance of a victim-centered approach that ensures effective participation in judicial processes and reparations mechanisms.
Additionally, the congress will analyze best practices and lessons learned from international and national tribunals addressing crimes against humanity, genocide, and war crimes, with special attention to the complementarity between the ICC and national jurisdictions, and the challenges states face in implementing the Rome Statute into domestic legislation.
This congress seeks to raise awareness of the importance of combating impunity, update the training of legal professionals, and contribute to strengthening justice mechanisms globally. In an international context marked by new conflicts and threats to the fundamental principles of international criminal law, the congress offers a unique opportunity to generate proposals that reinforce the structure and effectiveness of international criminal justice.
The event is supported by the Barcelona Bar Association (ICAB) and the ICAB Commission on International Criminal Justice and Human Rights.
Project co-funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation, through the Secretariat of State for Foreign and Global Affairs.
