The International Tribunal for Rwanda is the first international tribunal to deal specifically with the crime of genocide. Its judgement in the trial of Jean-Paul Akayesu and the sentencing of a former Prime Minister of Rwanda, Jean Kambanda, who had pleaded guilty, mark the first time ever that such decisions have been rendered for the crime of genocide by any international court. Without this Tribunal and the international cooperation it has been able to command, these and other individuals still awaiting trial – who all fled Rwanda would almost certainly have escaped justice.
For war crimes, national trials are preferred, although international tribunals may be preferable under certain circumstances and depending on the gravity of crime. Authors give case studies, including the evolution of women's rights in Pakistan.