fertile functions in conflict and post-conflict societies. These include: igniting calls for more formal processes; providing more private spaces for victims to share their experiences, reintegrate and begin to heal; and developing low-profile but robust initiatives to document human rights violations (such as when political will for accountability is limited, former processes stall or security is a concern). “GIJTR starts at the bottom before getting to the top. It starts first with bringing together victims, bringing in people defending human rights, bringing together journalists, to discuss problems within communities. That’s its specialty. Addressing these problems only with politicians, and not those at the ‘lower’ end of the social ladder, can be a mistake. So, for me, GIJTR does special work because it attacks society’s problems at the base.” —GIJTR local partner, Guinea, 2019 GIJTR’s work shows the importance of having a versatile set of locally sustained tools on the ground to support truth and justice initiatives. This approach allows the greatest number of survivors and affected community members to take part in reconciliation and accountability processes that are integral to lasting peace. In contexts with state-led transitional justice processes (such as in Colombia, The Gambia and Guinea), local civil society organizations (CSOs) supported by GIJTR have had profound impacts on the direction and performance of these processes by making them more accessible to, and empathetic toward, victims. GIJTR enables this through workshops and trainings developed in partnership with communities. It builds the capacity and effectiveness of local civil society actors and
best—to develop a deep understanding of the unique historical, social, political and cultural context of each setting in which they work. This allows GIJTR to develop programs that address specific root causes and efficiently adapt to the fluid situations found in many post-conflict settings. For example, in such settings relative peace can abruptly deteriorate, perpetrators might resurface in positions of power or political transitions can ignite old wounds that lead to renewed violence.
3. Innovative and
Non-Prescriptive GIJTR’s local, context-specific approach demands that its activities from one setting to another are never predetermined. A central tenet that fuels GIJTR’s impact is that there is no one-size-fits-all model of transitional justice. In settings where there are significant numbers of missing and disappeared persons, a forensics focus may be prioritized in GIJTR programs. In ongoing conflicts, documentation of human rights abuses for use in future accountability efforts may be most in order. In contexts where there are opportunities for open dialogue and justice processes, advocacy and memorialization initiatives may be most needed. GIJTR Consortium partners hold expertise in a range of programmatic and geographic areas, including forensic anthropology, memorialization, documentation and psychosocial supports, so that no matter the local needs, a solution can be found. Locally Driven and Action-Based GIJTR’s success with locally driven programming is a clear counterpoint to the commonly held conception that transitional justice processes must be implemented solely in top-down style by formal institutions led by states or international fora. In contrast, GIJTR’s partnerships with local civil society organizations prove that informal or grassroots transitional justice mechanisms can serve many
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Transforming Transitional Justice: A Decade of Change, Growth & Sustained Impact—A Summary Report
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