Outreach

In order for the Court to fulfil its mandate its role and judicial activities must be understood by a variety of audiences. In this respect, the Court’s outreach programme has been created to ensure that affected communities in situations subject to investigation or proceedings can understand and follow the work of the Court through the different phases of its activities.

Outreach is one of the Court’s various external communications functions which also include external relations and public information as defined in the Integrated Strategy for External Relations, Public Information and Outreach:

• External relations refers to the constructive dialogue between the Court and States Parties, Non-States Parties, international organisations, NGOs and other key partners with the aim of building and maintaining support and co-operation facilitating the Court’s ability to fulfil its statutory mandate.

• Public information relates to the process of delivering accurate and timely information about the principles, objectives and activities of the Court to the public at large as well as to specific audiences, through a variety of means.
  
  Report of the Court on the public information strategy 2011-2013
  ICC-ASP/9/29 - English | Español | Français | عربي

• Outreach is a process of establishing sustainable, two-way communication between the Court and communities affected by the situations that are subject to investigations or proceedings, and to promote understanding and support of the judicial process at various stages as well as the different roles of the organs of the ICC. Outreach aims to clarify misperceptions and misunderstandings and to enable affected communities to follow trials.   

Outreach activities are adapted to the context in which the Court is operating, including the different security situations, the various stages of investigation or proceedings and the different needs of the Court’s audiences. The Court has therefore developed a general Strategic Plan for Outreach and situation related strategies and action plans.

Programmes and approaches are also adapted to particular circumstances, such as the phases of the judicial process, the context of operations and the specificities of target groups. The outreach programme conducts meetings with target groups and uses radio and other media to reach the public at large.

Action plans are prepared and implemented by staff based in the field offices in a manner that is consistent with the general principles that are the foundation of the Court’s outreach programme. A relatively small complement of staff at Headquarters, organised in the Outreach Unit of the Public Information and Documentation Section of the Registry, oversee co-ordination between the organs and offices on planning and implementing activities, and support the teams in the field.