Advocacy: In line with its original advocacy mission at the ICC, ICDAA continues to provide a voice for the defence in the international criminal justice system and to highlight the role of lawyers in enforcing fair trial rights. The Association’s guiding principle is that a trial worth conducting is worth conducting fairly. ICDAA shines the light on standards of fairness at all stages of the criminal justice process: protection against arbitrary detention and arrest, prevention of torture, the right to counsel, judicial independence and the respect for the constructive presumption of innocence at trial. See below for information on recent advocacy activities regarding the ICTR.

Legal Training: The Association has an established track record of providing practical legal training to experienced lawyers (including counsel for the defence and victims) seeking to practice before international courts. Since 1999, ICDAA has organized training seminars and workshops on international criminal law in Africa, Europe, Latin America, the United States and Canada. It has managed a nation-wide program of seminars in Canada to build awareness of the ICC system in the legal profession.

Rule of Law: In recent years, ICDAA has become active in projects designed to strengthen the Rule of Law and build legal systems in transitional and post-conflict countries. The projects involve a combination of support for legal aid, legal training and capacity building. The primary goal is to help legal practitioners refine their skills, ranging from written submissions to oral pleading and the interpretation of criminal codes and codes of procedure. See Projects for information on a major project to build a legal aid system in Afghanistan with support from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA).