Finland strengthens its commitment to reparative justice for survivors of sexual and gender-based violence and former child soldiers

Finland, a State Party to the ICC since 2000, has contributed EUR 400,000 to the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV) at the International Criminal Court (ICC) in support of survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) in the Central African Republic and to advance reparations for former child soldiers in the Lubanga case. 

This contribution comes from resources assigned by Finland to Official Development Assistance (ODA) activities. The contribution also represents, in part, the final instalment of a four-year grant agreement between the ICC/TFV and Finland, totalling €1,2 million. 

Between 2019 and 2024, the TFV has provided holistic, immediate and long term support to 20,000 SGBV survivors across seven situations under the jurisdiction of the ICC. Finland’s contribution to the SGBV-focused programme in the Central African Republic will ensure the continuation of activities across 27 locations in the country, which have to date directly benefitted around 10,000 SGBV survivors. Finland’s grant will contribute to rehabilitative and memoralisation measures currently benefitting 2,471 eligible former child soldiers linked to the Lubanga case. 
 
H.E. Mr Kevin Kelly, member of the TFV Board of Directors welcomed this contribution stating, “The SGBV programmes of the Trust Fund for Victims fill an important gap in the humanitarian response, ensuring both immediate and long-term impact for victims, their children, and communities, and the rule of law. Our reach and specialisation would not have been possible without Finland’s substantive and consistent commitment to the rule of law and to victim-centred justice. Continued support to the ICC and its Trust Fund for Victims ensures that accountability and healing remain at the heart of the international justice system.”
 
Kaija Suvanto, Director General for Legal Affairs, Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland stated, “Reparations are a key component of international criminal justice today and the ICC system relies on the Trust Fund for Victims to implement the reparation orders, making the TFV an integral part of the Rome Statute system. Finland is a long-standing supporter of the Trust Fund for Victims. We consider the work of the Trust Fund essential in assisting victims of the most heinous crimes and their families in rebuilding their lives as well as strengthening the rights of women and girls.” 
 
Finland is the third-largest contributor to the TFV, having provided over €5 million in financial support through annual voluntary contributions since 2004. It has consistently dedicated a significant portion of these contributions to benefit survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. Since 2012, Finland’s contributions have been delivered through multi-year grant agreements, the latest of which was for the period of 2021-2024 for a total value of €1,2 million. 

For more information about the Trust Fund for Victims, please contact [email protected] or visit www.trustfundforvictims.org. You can also follow TFV’s activities on X, LinkedIn, Bluesky and Facebook.

Background information about the Trust Fund for Victims
 
Voluntary contributions received by the Trust Fund for Victims ensured the completion of the first ever reparation programme for victims in the Katanga case in October 2023. Ongoing reparations are also being implemented in the Lubanga and Al Mahdi cases. Additionally, the TFV is actively implementing reparations for one group of victims in the Ntaganda case, who are also part of the Lubanga programme for former child soldiers and preparing the reparations programme for a second group of victims of attacks in the Ntaganda case.  By the end of 2024, around 3,800 individual victims have received or are continuing to receive reparations. In addition, the TFV implemented numerous collective-based reparations awards in the Lubanga and the Al Mahdi cases, which benefited over 70,000 persons, notably in Timbuktu in relation to the Al Mahdi case.
 
In June 2024, the TFV launched its First Funding Appeal of EUR 5 million in the Ongwen case to enable the implementation of the Trial Chamber’s EUR 52.4 million Reparations Order of 28 February 2024, which aims to benefit more than 40,000 victims. The Trust Fund for Victims seeks to mobilise at least EUR 5 million annually to progressively implement the Ongwen Reparations Order.
 
In 2025, the TFV is also implementing other programmes for the benefit of victims in seven situations under the jurisdiction of the ICC, namely in the Central African Republic, Côte d’Ivoire, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Georgia, Kenya, Mali and Uganda. These programmes provide medical treatment, psychological rehabilitation, socio-economic support, education, peacebuilding, and commemoration activities, in collaboration with local authorities and communities. These programmes have directly benefited over 19,000 individuals in 2024, of which 14,000, or 74 per cent, were women.
 
TFV programmes for the benefit of victims of crimes under the jurisdiction of the ICC contribute to the broader impact of several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including peace, justice, and strong institutions (SDG 16), poverty reduction (SDG 1), good health and well-being (SDG 3), gender equality (SDG 5), decent work and economic growth (SDG 8), climate action (SDG 13), and reduced inequalities (SDG 10).
 
The Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC contributes to fulfil the principles of reparative justice established in the Rome Statute by implementing measures that recognise and redress the harm caused by genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes and crimes of aggression on victims and their families.