relevant in contexts where unstable political environments in post-conflict settings heighten the risk of recurrence of violence. To shine a light on this holistic approach, one current GIJTR project is examining racism in five contexts—Brazil, Colombia, Namibia, South Africa and Sri Lanka—and developing an assessment tool to analyze racism as a risk factor for atrocity crimes. Findings from the project are being shared through a toolkit, podcast and other means to assist policy makers, practitioners, civil society organizations and other human rights defenders to assess racism as a risk, understand the dynamics of how race plays a central role in patterns of violence directed against particular populations, and advocate for necessary response and reforms in policies and practices. In
addition to its assessment tool, GIJTR is also sharing a set of recommendations for a range of actors at international and national levels, to counter racism and its potential to drive atrocity crimes. GIJTR’s innovation in this area is evidenced in other projects as well, including “Centering Young Activist Voices in Atrocity Prevention,” which addresses gaps in youth-centered atrocity prevention efforts by training ten youth participants from five different contexts in atrocity prevention education. Each participant is additionally provided with financial and programmatic support to create a project in their community that highlights how social media and multimedia platforms can play a crucial role in sharing early warning and early response strategies as well as in monitoring atrocity prevention. Opening New Frontiers in the Documentation of Human Rights Violations Documentation is central to many GIJTR projects, amplifying the voices of victims and historically marginalized groups to greater impact. In its work with Rohingya refugees in Bangladesh, GIJTR entered a space where many international agencies had made short missions to collect limited data in ways that did not always prioritize ethical considerations or follow-up as the issue faded from public view. In contrast, as a direct result of GIJTR and local partner programming there over the past five years, refugee camps in Bangladesh are now home to a highly trained and inclusive cadre of Rohingya documenters with the skills to collect testimonies of those who have suffered terrible violence. Unlike international entities, GIJTR-supported documenters come from within the Rohingya community and therefore are far more trusted by fellow refugees, allowing the collection of more accurate, detailed testimonies which are stored for future accountability purposes. Through GIJTR, local documenters also receive dedicated MHPSS training to support their own self-care and to develop the skills to ensure ethical engagement with those sharing their stories. A representative from
Images from a GIJTR visit to Rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh in August 2019.
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Transforming Transitional Justice: A Decade of Change, Growth & Sustained Impact—A Summary Report
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