Transition of the host for the Secretariat of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court

On 21 January 2021, a consensus decision was made at the Steering Committee of the Coalition for the International Criminal Court (CICC) that the hosting responsibilities of the CICC Secretariat would be transferred from World Federalist Movement/Institute for Global Policy (WFM/IGP) to another host organisation. 

The CICC Steering Committee expresses its deep gratitude to WFM/IGP for more than a quarter of a century of dedicated service to international justice and to CICC members, in its capacity as host of the CICC Secretariat. With WFM/IGP hosting the CICC Secretariat, the CICC has grown from a small group of NGOs advocating for the establishment of a permanent International Criminal Court to a worldwide movement of civil society working together for a fair, independent and effective ICC. 

The CICC Steering Committee has therefore extended a call for expressions of interest from any CICC member organisation that might be interested in taking up some or all of the hosting responsibilities forthwith, on a temporary basis, while ongoing governance discussions are completed. Once the governance review is concluded, which will include consultations with members, the hosting of the CICC Secretariat will be revisited.

The CICC Steering Committee will carefully review all expressions of interest it receives, with a view to making a quick decision and communicating that forthwith to all relevant stakeholders. 

FAQs relating to the call for expressions of interest

1. Why is the host moving?

The Steering Committee, which includes WFM/IGP, decided to move the host to facilitate the CICC Secretariat continuing to serve the membership while the governance discussions are ongoing. The move is being undertaken now in part due to the conclusion of grants supporting the CICC Secretariat and an inability to secure new funding.  It is anticipated that moving the host will allow the CICC Steering Committee, Secretariat and membership to find a new governance structure that will enhance transparency and accountability, while at the same time providing a dynamic and responsive Secretariat that will attract new and more stable funding.
 

2. Why is it “temporary”?

For the past few years, the CICC Steering Committee has been working on the governance structure of CICC, in order to make the work of the CICC Steering Committee and Secretariat more accountable, transparent and member-driven. Consultations with members on the governance structure is an important part of that process. The new CICC Secretariat host will serve on a temporary basis so as not to prejudge the outcomes of the consultation or governance discussions, which will necessarily also look at where and how the CICC Secretariat is hosted.
 

3. How long will that take?

It is difficult to put precise timeframe on it, as the consultation and the discussions need to be deliberative and not rushed. Ideally those consultations will be concluded within 6 months, at which point we would be ready to look for the permanent host, whether within an existing organisation or as a standalone entity. Nonetheless, the final decision on governance may take longer, as these kinds of consultations and discussions take some time, which is further complicated by the uncertainties surrounding the global pandemic.
 

4. What will the host do? What are its functions?

The temporary host organisation, under the guidance of and with the assistance of the Steering Committee, would undertake to facilitate some or all of the following: CICC Strategic Planning ; Engagement with Members, including consultation on CICC guiding principles, strategic planning, CICC communications strategy and governance; Outreach to Stakeholders, including the ICC and its member States, including through social media and the website; Review and revitalisation of CICC Teams; Advocacy on shrinking space for civil society in international justice; and Administrative issues including management of mailing lists and member databases and fundraising.
 

5. Will members still be served by the CICC Secretariat?

Both the CICC Secretariat staff and the members of the Steering Committee remain committed to members, who lie at the heart of the CICC. The new host is required to show the same level of commitment to facilitating the CICC Secretariat’s ability to serve the membership. The CICC Secretariat will ensure at least the same level of current services continue to be available for members and is actively working with the CICC Steering Committee, and the new host once it is appointed, to improve the quality and responsiveness of those services.
 

6. What do you expect from the new host?

It is expected that the new host will have the following characteristics: A commitment to full financial transparency and substantive accountability to the CICC Steering Committee and to Members in respects of all activities, projects, grants and other initiatives pertaining to, related to, or involving civil society coordination and advocacy in respect of the ICC and the Rome Statute system; Well established policy and procedures, including at a minimum in respect of a Code of Ethics and Conduct, transparency in financial and procurement procedures and GDPR compliance in data handling and security; Sufficient substantive capacity to provide support and guidance to the CICC Secretariat on the above points and on the organisation of events (Roundtables, ASP, other consultations), in conjunction with the CICC Steering Committee and CICC Teams; Sufficient financial capacity to run the CICC Secretariat, including fundraising capacity, in coordination with and with the assistance of the CICC Steering Committee; Sufficient capacity to commence these responsibilities as a matter of urgency, as early as March 2021.
 

7. Who will pay for the CICC Secretariat and CICC activities during this time?

It is anticipated that the new host will have some financial capacity and/or will have sufficient fundraising capacities to find the finances needed to support the CICC Secretariat and CICC activities. Alternative options are also being explored, including transference of outstanding CICC funds currently held by WFM/IGP (with the consent of the relevant donor) and Steering Committee and other CICC members providing in kind support or financial support as needed. It is also anticipated that discussions will be held with traditional CICC funders to ensure those funds can continue to be made available to the new host in its role of supporting the CICC Secretariat. All of this will need to be worked out with the new temporary host once it is identified.
 

8. What is the role of the Steering Committee?

The CICC Steering Committee will be actively engaged with the CICC Secretariat and its new host during this transition period. The exact parameters of that engagement will be determined in conjunction with the CICC Secretariat and its new host. For example, Steering Committee members may take responsibility for some of the functions during the transition period, such as development of and consultations on the CICC Strategic Plan. This follows the model established during ASP18 and ASP19, during which Steering Committee and other members worked with the CICC Secretariat to supplement their capacity to fulfil their functions during those critical meetings.
 

9. Is WFM/IGP still involved with the CICC?

Yes, absolutely. WFM/IGP will remain on the CICC Steering Committee and will engage in CICC activities as a respected member of the CICC and its Steering Committee.