World Day for International Justice is celebrated every year on July 17, established in 2010 by the United Nations, the day aims at promoting international criminal justice and raise awareness of the importance of holding perpetrators of serious crimes accountable.
The day presents an opportunity to reflect on the importance of international justice and to call for greater efforts to uphold the rule of law.
It is also an opportunity to raise awareness of the plight of persons with disabilities who are victims of crime because they are often disproportionately affected by crime and violence.
Persons with disabilities are often more vulnerable to crime, and they may face additional barriers to accessing justice.
For instance, people with disabilities may have difficulty communicating with law enforcement or participating in the criminal justice process.
They may also be afraid to report crimes because they fear that they will not be believed or that they will be discriminated against.
It is important to ensure that people with disabilities have access to justice, just like everyone else.
This means that the criminal justice system must be accessible to people with disabilities and that people with disabilities must be treated fairly and with respect.
The day is also a commemoration of the adoption of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) on July 17, 1998.
The ICC is an international court that investigates and prosecutes individuals accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression.
The theme for World Day for International Justice 2023 is “Speaking truth to power requires allies like you.”
This theme highlights the importance of individuals and organizations working together to uphold the rule of law and to promote international justice.