Summary:

This project was implemented in all Central Asian Countries (except for Turkmenistan) & Mongolia and was designed to raise awareness and understanding of the International Criminal Court (ICC) within the armed forces, and civil society, and to support the implementation of the Rome Statute into national law.

The specific objectives included:
  • Raising military awareness of the ICC in Central Asian Countries and Mongolia
  • Raising civil awareness of the ICC in Central Asian Countries and Mongolia, by establishing NGO
    networks
  • Accelerating the ratification and implementation process of the Rome Statute
  • Supporting legal experts drafting implementing legislation enabling national authorities to try
    suspects of international crimes before their own courts and ensuring an effective co-operation of
    national justice systems with the International Criminal Court.
  • Strengthening the role of the grass roots movement and major parts of the executive branch in
    promoting human rights and ending impunity for war criminals by assisting the work of the ICC
The project started with an inception mission of the EU-team to the target countries for teambuilding, and for introductory briefings about the contents and methods of the project. In co-operation with the local project partners this team interviewed and decided on organisations and experts to be included as additional partners in the programme, and to be invited to the start-up conference in Germany.

Following this mission, a 2-day meeting for all EU-based experts and project staff was organised in Bonn. The aim of this workshop was to inform the experts about the outcome of the inception mission and to ensure that the know-how on each topic was digested by the lecturers. Expert teams were formed for the respective target groups, a detailed plan of implementation established and organisational issues discussed.

A 5-day start-up workshop in Bonn with participants from all target countries (representatives from armed forces, NGOs, legal experts) addressed general questions about human rights protection and enforcement and the future role of an ICC. Target group related matters were discussed in order to accommodate specific military, NGO, implementation and ratification concerns. Seminar and information material for the campaign was discussed and a detailed performance plan for the project established. With a 2-day visit at the International Criminal Court (ICC) and International Tribunal for Former Yugoslavia (ICTY), both in the Hague, this start-up conference was concluded.

Between April and November 2004, a group of experts from over 10 international and German organisations and institutions, prepared and implemented 20 training seminars and round-table meetings, specifically designed for the armed forces, civil society representatives (NGOs), and legal experts.

An information campaign on the ICC was carried out through the Internet on an international level, and with leaflets, brochures and other information material in the local languages on a regional level. Interim and final evaluation conferences assessed and concluded the project.