Gender and International Criminal Law Conference
16-17 January 2024, The Hague
Interpreting today at the the Gender and International Criminal Law conference co-hosted by Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice, together with Legal Action Worldwide, Grotius Centre for International Legal Studies, UN Women, the Australian Embassy in The Hague and the International Gender Champions Network.
As a Spanish-English simultaneous interpreter, I recently had the privilege of participating in the Gender and International Criminal Law conference held at the prestigious The Hague Campus of Leiden University on 16-17 January, 2024. Over the course of two intense days, renowned experts and practitioners from around the globe gathered to explore the intersections of gender, justice and international law. Here, I'll provide a comprehensive overview of each session, highlighting the speakers, their affiliations, and the key discussions that unfolded.
Day 1: 16 January 2024
The conference kicked off with welcoming remarks from a panel of distinguished co-organizers, including Antonia Mulvey of Legal Action Worldwide; Alix Vuillemin of Women’s Initiatives for Gender Justice and representing the International Gender Champions The Hague; Susana SáCouto, Indira Rosenthal and Valerie Oosterveld, co-editors of the book Gender and International Criminal Law; Katherine Arditto of Australian Embassy to The Netherlands; Pauline Brosch of UNWomen; and Joe Powderly, Professor of Public International Law at Leiden University.
Understanding Gender is Vital Indira Rosenthal, co-editor of the book “Gender and International Criminal Law,” commenced the opening session with a thought-provoking presentation, emphasizing the critical importance of gender in the context of international criminal law (ICL). Susana SáCouto, her co-editor, and Director of the War Crimes Research Office of the Washington College of Law, further elaborated on this theme, shedding light on perceptions of gender within existing ICL frameworks and what constitutes a gendered crime.
Survivor Perspectives and Activism The subsequent session delved into the lived experiences of survivors and survivor activists navigating the pursuit of justice within the realm of international criminal law. Chaired by Lorraine Smith-van Lin, Founder of Tallawah Justice for Women, the discussion featured insights from Pamela Angwech, representing Gulu Women’s Economic Development and Globalization, and Sylvia Acan, survivor and Managing Director at Golden Women Vision, both from Uganda, as well as Kamila Sidiqi from Afghanistan, highlighting the utility of gender-sensitive approaches in achieving justice and reparations.
National and international experiences on adopting a survivor-centred approach National and international practitioners engaged in a reflective conversation on adopting a survivor-centered approach within ICL. Chaired by Antonia Mulvey, the session provided valuable insights from Kateryna Busol, Professor at the National University of Kyiv-Mohyla, Ukraine, Angela Mudukuti of the Clooney Foundation for Justice, Naw Hser Hser of the Women’s League of Burma, and Natia Navrouzov, Legal Advocacy Director at Yazda, Iraq, showcasing the complexities of centering survivors' needs and perspectives.
Lecture The International Development Law Organization (IDLO) offered valuable perspectives on survivor-centered justice for gender-based violence in complex situations.
Responding to Anti-Trans and Anti-Gender Movements This crucial conversation addressed the increasing domestic and transnational attacks on gender-related issues within international justice. Speakers Alexandra Lily Kather, Co-Founder of the Emergent Justice Collective, and Jamie Hagen, Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast and co-director of the Centre for Gender in Politics, proposed transnational feminist strategies for addressing these challenges.
Day 2: January 17th, 2024
14.00 – 15.00: Intersectional Gender Justice and Queer Liberation This session delved into intersectional gender justice and queer liberation within the framework of international criminal law. Speakers Alexandra Lily Kather, Jamie Hagen, Tarek Zeidan, Katrim de la Hoz, and Madeleine Rees shared their visions and strategies for advancing LGBTQIA+ rights.
15.15 – 16.15: Breaking the Continuum of Structural Discrimination The conference concluded with a comprehensive presentation on gender persecution by Lisa Davis, Special Adviser on Gender Persecution to the ICC Prosecutor, and Kim Thuy Seelinger, Senior Coordinator for Gender-based Crimes & Crimes Against or Affecting Children at the ICC Office of the Prosecutor, whom I had previously interpreted at the ICC OTP LSU Roundtable on Trauma in November 2023.
In summary, the Gender and International Criminal Law conference provided a platform for robust discussions and insightful reflections on the complex intersections of gender, justice, and international law. It was a privilege to serve as a simultaneous interpreter, facilitating meaningful dialogue and understanding among participants from diverse backgrounds and perspectives.
