The International Court of Justice (ICJ) is the principal judicial organ of the United Nations (UN), established in 1945. It serves as the primary international forum for settling legal disputes between states. With its seat in The Hague, Netherlands, the ICJ plays a crucial role in promoting peaceful resolutions and maintaining international law.
The ICJ is composed of 15 judges who are elected by the UN General Assembly and Security Council for a term of nine years, with no two judges from the same country. The judges are chosen on the basis of their qualifications and expertise in international law. The Court’s proceedings are open to UN member states and specialized agencies.
The main function of the ICJ is to adjudicate disputes brought before it by states and deliver legally binding judgments. It handles cases involving various areas of international law, including territorial disputes, diplomatic immunity, treaty interpretation, and human rights violations. It also provides advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by authorized UN organs or agencies.
The ICJ’s decisions are binding on the parties involved in a dispute and it has mechanisms to ensure compliance with its judgments. The Court’s authority relies on the consent of the states, and even though its jurisdiction is not compulsory, many nations accept its jurisdiction as a means of achieving peaceful resolution to conflicts.
Through its work, the ICJ plays a crucial role in promoting stability and enforcing the principles of international law, contributing significantly to the peaceful coexistence of nations.
