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Successes and Failures of the ICC

An honest assessment of what the ICC has achieved in its first two decades and where it has fallen short.

What the ICC Has Achieved

In its first two decades, the ICC has established several landmark achievements. It has convicted individuals for child soldier recruitment, sexual violence as a war crime, and the destruction of cultural heritage. It has developed extensive jurisprudence on crimes against humanity, command responsibility, and gender-based violence. Its investigation into Ukraine represents the fastest and most comprehensive response to an ongoing conflict.

Perhaps more importantly, the ICC has changed behavior. The threat of investigation has motivated national prosecutions (positive complementarity) in Colombia, Guinea, and elsewhere. It has contributed to a culture of accountability that did not exist before. Military commanders now consider ICC liability in operational planning. The mere existence of the Court has made impunity less automatic, even if it has not been eliminated.

Successes and Failures of the ICC | Model Diplomat