Estonia amplifies its commitment to the Trust Fund for Victims’ reparative mandate with a new voluntary contribution

The Republic of Estonia, a State Party to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC) since 2002, has made a voluntary contribution of EUR 36,700 to the Trust Fund for Victims (TFV), reaffirming its commitment to international justice and the rights of victims of crimes under the Rome Statute. Estonia's contribution is of an unrestricted nature and will be used to redress the harm suffered by victims, through reparation awards ordered by the ICC and other programmes for their benefit.

Mr Andres Parmas, Chair of the Board of Directors of the TFV stated, "Estonia's support comes at an important time for the Court and the Trust Fund for Victims. Such generous State support is crucial in furthering the TFV's reparative mandate and providing justice to the thousands of victims of the most serious international crimes. I highly encourage other countries to follow Estonia's example and make similar voluntary contributions to the TFV."

H.E. Paul Teesalu, Ambassador of Estonia to the Kingdom of The Netherlands stated, "Since its establishment, the ICC has been at the forefront of international criminal justice. As cases are concluded, the focus shifts from conviction to restorative justice. Estonia has been a steady supporter of the ICC and a regular contributor to the TFV; our voluntary contribution amounts to almost 20% of our contribution to the ICC budget this year, as we see their work as an essential part of criminal justice. We call on all States Parties to ensure that the TFV has the necessary resources to fulfil their mandate in the interests of victims."

Estonia has been providing regular support to the TFV through voluntary contributions since 2013, with its total voluntary contributions amounting to over EUR 400,000.

For more information about the Trust Fund for Victims at the ICC, 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 to the Trust Fund for Victims ensure the delivery of the reparative mandate of the International Criminal Court by funding services and activities that provide recognition, commemoration and material support through rehabilitative programmes.

The TFV appeals to States Parties and other entities to contribute to the delivery of reparations to victims in dire need, particularly in relation to the Ntaganda and Ongwen cases. The annual programme funding target of the TFV is set at a minimum of EUR 10 million.

Contributions to the Trust Fund for Victims qualify as Official Development Assistance (ODA)-eligible. 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), reduced inequalities (SDG 10) and climate action (SDG 13).