Chapter 2: Global Governance and Global Crime – Do Victims Fall in Between?

Abstract

The aim of this paper is firstly to analyze implementation difficulties of victims’ rights focusing in particular on victims of international crimes and victims of cross-border victimization (section 2). We will start by giving an overview of international and regional standards for the rights of victims and provide, where available, information on their implementation status. We will begin by presenting the main, generalist instruments, namely the 1985 UN Declaration, the recent initiative of drafting a UN Convention on Justice and Support for Victims of Crime and Abuse of Power (2005) and several instruments emanating from the European Union and the Council of Europe respectively. Next, we will discuss international legal instruments focusing on special categories of victims such as victims of international crimes, human trafficking and terrorism.

This will be followed by an analysis of global or multi-level governance structures in this field and some first proposals will be made to adjust existing victim protection schemes to the changing demands of a globalized world (section 3).