Public International Law Perspectives on the Prosecution of Daesh Crimes Against Women And Girls

The perpetration of gender-based crimes by Daesh against women and girls has been widely reported by competent international bodies as well as in the media, raising concern and indignation amongst the public worldwide . From a legal perspective, the question is how to address such crimes, and in particular how to prosecute their perpetrators.

On 13 October 2016, the European Parliament’s Committees on Legal Affairs (JURI) and on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) held a joint hearing on ‘Public international law perspectives on the prosecution of Daesh’s crimes against women and girls before international jurisdictions’ . During the hearing, three experts were heard.

The present briefing builds on discussions held during the hearing, as well as on academic and judicial developments in the field of international criminal law, with the aim of highlighting possible avenues to ensure that sexual and gender-based crimes committed by Daesh do not remain unpunished.

Author: Dr Rosa Raffaelli

ESO: Background information: Women in Daesh: jihadist ‘cheerleaders’, active operatives? http://www.europeansources.info/record/women-in-daesh-jihadist-cheerleaders-active-operatives/

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