Mission and History

Our Mission

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) assists countries pursuing accountability for past mass atrocity or human rights abuse. The Center works in societies emerging from repressive rule or armed conflict, as well as in established democracies where historical injustices or systemic abuse remain unresolved.

In order to promote justice, peace, and reconciliation, government officials and nongovernmental advocates are likely to consider a variety of transitional justice approaches including both judicial and nonjudicial responses to human rights crimes. The ICTJ assists in the development of integrated, comprehensive, and localized approaches to transitional justice comprising five key elements: prosecuting perpetrators, documenting and acknowledging violations through nonjudicial means such as truth commissions, reforming abusive institutions, providing reparations to victims, and facilitating reconciliation processes.

The Center is committed to building local capacity and generally strengthening the emerging field of transitional justice, and works closely with organizations and experts around the world to do so. By working in the field through local languages, the ICTJ provides comparative information, legal and policy analysis, documentation, and strategic research to justice and truth-seeking institutions, nongovernmental organizations, governments and others.

The core principles of the ICTJ are reflected in the following five operational guidelines:

• Prioritize the interests and perspectives of victims and survivors. The Center will always assess and respect the interests of victims, often working closely with victim organizations and human rights advocacy groups.

• Promote compliance with international obligations. The Center will promote understanding and acceptance of the obligations of states in responding to rights violations, especially those established in international law.

• Shape policy and advice based on a rigorous analysis of the national and international context and circumstances. The Center will undertake each assignment with a focused assessment of local conditions and relevant international circumstances, rather than approaching its work with prior blueprints or rigid guidelines that pre-determine options.

• Promote local involvement and empowerment. The Center will prioritize the training and empowerment of local actors so that skills and expertise are transferred to nationals. The Center will always involve local actors in policy development so that initiatives are shaped and ultimately decided by nationals.

• Support and facilitate the work of organizations and individuals in the transitional justice field. The Center will aim to facilitate communication, networking, and collaboration among those working in the transitional justice field.

Our History

While human rights organizations have traditionally focused on documenting violations and lobbying against abuse, the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) was founded on the concept of a new direction in human rights advocacy: helping societies to heal by accounting for and addressing past crimes after a period of repressive rule or armed conflict.

The ICTJ was first conceived at a strategy meeting hosted by the Ford Foundation in April 2000. More than two dozen participants, including legal scholars, human rights advocates, and practitioners, gathered to discuss ways of contributing to the rapidly emerging field of transitional justice.

The participants expressed broad support for the establishment of an organization focusing on transitional justice. The Foundation subsequently asked three consultants—Alex Boraine, Priscilla Hayner and Paul van Zyl—to develop a plan for such an organization. Their initial five-year proposal received funding support from the Ford Foundation, the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the Rockefeller Brothers Fund, and the Andrus Family Fund.

The ICTJ officially opened its doors in New York City on March 1, 2001, and within six months was operating in more than a dozen countries, as requests for assistance poured in.