联合国与国际刑事法院的历史渊源甚深，密切交织。两者存在的必要性都直接源自第二次世界大战的恐怖。成立国际刑事法院花费的时间要长得多。但是种子在联合国成立之初就种下了，种在这个机构之内。国际法委员会按照联合国大会的直接要求所做的早期工作很关键，为后来冷战松动、世界事务不再受其牢牢控制的时候成立法院奠定了基础。
There is deep and close intertwining in the histories of the UN and of the ICC. The need for both originated directly from the horrors of the Second World War. It took much longer for the ICC to materialize. But the seeds were planted during the very first years of the United Nations — and within that body. The early work of the International Law Commission — as directly requested by the UN GA — was crucial in laying the foundation on which the Court would later be built, when the Cold War eased its chilling grip on world affairs.