With the passage of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court and its coming into effect in July 2002, the international community and sundry stakeholders sought to bring to an end the regime of impunity of actors and groups engaged in war crimes and crimes against humanity. In responding to the framework of the International Criminal Court and within the purview of its coming into effect and the creation of an international advocacy Coalition on the International Criminal Court (CICC), in May 2002, the International Human Rights Law Group (IHRLG), now known as Global Rights: Partners for Justice, the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD), and BAOBAB for Women’s Human Rights facilitated a stakeholders’ meeting that led to the formation of the Nigeria Coalition on International Criminal Court (NCICC). This was conceived as a tool of advocacy and training in the effort to accelerate the process of the strengthening of the Rome Statute and the international justice mechanism in Nigeria.

NCICC had several interactions with government offices to introduce the concept of International Criminal Court. The International Criminal Court (ICC) is a permanent independent, treaty-based, judicial body created by the International Community of States to prosecute the gravest possible crimes under International Law, comprising the Crime of Genocide, Crimes Against Humanity and War Crimes, although the Crime of Aggression has been presently left outside the jurisdiction of the Court, pending an appropriate and acceptable definition of this at the 2009 review conference.

In carrying forward the mandate of the ICC, the Nigerian Coalition on the International Criminal Court (NCICC) developed a series of programmes and events targeted at familiarising Nigerians and relevant stakeholders with the provisions of the Rome Statute, and educating those who can facilitate the functionality of the Court, whilst harmonising the provisions of the Statute with Nigeria laws through advocacy for the domestication of the Rome Statute under Section 12 of the Nigerian constitution. The main objectives of the NCICC are:

• Build an advocacy network of Civil Society Organisations on issues relating to the ICC
• Provide a platform for sharing information and ideas on developments within the ICC on Local and International levels
• Offering a platform for the advocacy to domesticate the Rome Statute within Nigeria laws
• Acquainting Nigerians with the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) issues, by publicising and disseminating information on ICC
• Monitoring and reporting the functions of the Court at The Hague
• Advocating for the inclusion of economic crimes and harmful traditional practices within the Jurisdiction of the Court
• Periodically evaluating the commitment of governments, at the national and regional levels, towards the International Criminal Court (ICC)
• Publicise and disseminate information on the ICC
• Documenting local violations within the Jurisdiction of the Court and facilitating the prosecution of such
  

Whilst the Nigeria Coalition on the International Criminal Court was formed during the stakeholders’ meeting held in May 2002, its membership has expanded to admit several organisations, with each member organisation having one of its staff as a representative in the Coalitions’ activities and decision-making processes. The members of the coalition appointed the following organisations to serve on the Steering Committee as the management team of the NCICC (the three core groups also forming the Secretariat) :

• The Chair: Baobab for Women’s Human Rights
• Secretary: Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
• Treasurer: Global Rights

Other members of the coalition include the Women Advocacy Research and Development Centre (WARD C), Legal Defence and Assistance Project (LEDAP), Amnesty International, Prisoners’ Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA), Civil Resource Development and Documentation Centre (CIRDDOC), and Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS).

• Media Coordinator: Women Advocacy Research and Documentation Center (WARD C)
• Advocacy Coordinator: Legal Defence and Assistance Projects (LEDAP)
• Member: Amnesty International Nigeria
• Member: Prisoner Rehabilitation and Welfare Action (PRAWA)
• Member: Human Rights Law Service (HURILAWS)
• Member: Civil Resource and Development Documentation Center (CIRDDOC)
  

i The Secretariat: This is being hosted by CDD and administered by a Secretary of the Coalition. The Secretariat will be in charge of day-to-day running of the coalition, fund-raise for the coalitions work, facilitate the decision-making process and design and implement project and programmes. The Secretariat shall be accountable to the Steering Committee.

ii The Advocacy Committee: The committee comprises of voluntary members and has the function of drafting and implementing advocacy strategies and policies of the Coalition.

iii The Media Committee: The committee comprises of voluntary members and has the function of drafting and implementing the media strategies and policies of the Coalition.
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iv The Monitoring and Documentation Committee: This committee will comprise of voluntary members and would have the function of researching into areas of focus of the coalition and also specifically document violations within the jurisdiction of the court.

More information on NCICC Structure

The Coalition shall focus on the following activities:

• Providing medium of enlightenment on provisions of the Rome Statute
• Organising NCICC meetings and programmes
• Participating in local and international events on the ICC or within focused areas
• Organising and participating in ICC media events
• Engaging in advocacy relating to the nomination of Judges and other personnel into the Court
• Promoting regional advocacy on the ICC
• Monitoring the implementations of the Rome Statute in Nigeria
• Protecting victims and witness rights and their access to Justice
• The publication of materials (pamphlets, stickers etc) on the ICC
• Documenting and facilitating the prosecution of crimes within the Jurisdiction of the Court
• Organising other activities like workshops, seminars and conferences to make ICC a functioning Court
  

The following are some programmes conducted by the coalition:

• Implementation Workshops
• Media Events
• Localising the Statute
• Monitoring Impunity
• Litigation Strategy on the ICC
• Participation in the 4th Assemblies of State Parties Meeting
  

Below are some of the projects we are working on:

• The Charles Taylor Accountability Project
• Strengthening the Rome Statute