Victims and Reparations
How the ICC provides justice for victims through participation, reparations, and the Trust Fund for Victims.
Reparations at the ICC
Article 75 of the Rome Statute authorizes the ICC to order reparations directly to, or in respect of, victims. Reparations can take the form of restitution, compensation, or rehabilitation, and may be awarded individually to specific victims or collectively to benefit affected communities. In practice, most reparations have been collective, given the large number of victims and the limited assets available. A reparations order follows conviction and is distinct from the criminal verdict itself.
The Lubanga reparations order (2012, with an amended order in 2015 and a set award of USD 10 million in 2017) established a collective program for former child soldiers, including educational support, psychological rehabilitation, and vocational training. The Katanga case produced individual awards, with the Trial Chamber in 2017 setting a symbolic USD 250 per victim alongside collective measures for around 297 victims in Bogoro, DRC. The Ntaganda order (2021) set the convicted person's liability at USD 30 million for former child soldiers and victims of sexual violence. These orders are implemented by the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), which also runs assistance programs in affected communities independent of any specific court order.
