July 17th: What You Need to Know About the World Day for International Justice
With #international laws and human rights being transgressed all over the globe, #globaljustice is one of the most talked-about topics today. In such an environment, it is essential to bring worldwide attention to international justice and its importance.
That is precisely what World Day for International Justice aims to do. Celebrated each year on July 17th, it seeks to shed some light on the challenges facing international justice and the need to prioritize the principle.
Before we look at how the day is celebrated, let’s see how it came to be:
The Conception of World Day for International Justice
The choice of July 17th to observe this day comes from the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, which was agreed upon on July 17th, 1998. The statute was presented at an international diplomatic conference held in Rome and came into force on July 1st, 2002.
One hundred twenty-three countries have since accepted the statute. Its importance to International Criminal Court is immense as it covers the jurisdiction associated with cases of genocide, crimes of aggression, crimes against humanity, and war crimes.
The statute further declares that the ICC can only intervene, investigate, and prosecute cases related to these four international crimes if the countries in question cannot.
Thus, in a way, the Rome Statute offers people worldwide a measure of protection even if their governments failed them. Upholding the statute and giving the ICC space and support to protect people is why the #WorldDayofInternationalJustice was created and celebrated yearly.
How Is It Observed?
The World Day for International Justice is observed each year to raise awareness. It is not a celebration, especially since what it raises awareness for is of grave concern.
Therefore, worldwide, diplomatic organizations, peacekeeping missions, NGOs, and public service entities hold seminars and events to highlight human rights issues. These events have two particular goals: highlighting the problems that come under the umbrella of the ICC and letting people know what protection they can find from the court.
With the world caught amidst a war in Europe and increased human rights abuses all around the globe, the questions raised on World Day for International Justice now matter more than ever. It would not be a stretch to say that #July17th this year is perhaps more important than any other.
So, treating the day accordingly and participating in World Day for International Justice events is essential. Your participation signals support for values that #humanity should uphold rather than ignore.