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2004/2005 Annual Report
Download the English Report in PDF LetterFROM THE CHAIRPERSON AND THE PRESIDENT As the ICTJ celebrates its fifth anniversary, we are proud of what we have accomplished and excited about our continuing transformation. After entering the human rights field in 2001 with a core staff of three based in New York, the Center has evolved into a thriving, globally diverse institution that employs more than 40 talented individuals. To meet the growth in demands for our assistance, over the past year we established offices in Brussels, Cape Town, Geneva, Kinshasa, and Monrovia; multiplied our pool of international consultants, experts, and partner organizations; and reached a growing number of people through trainings, fellowships, engagement with the press, translation of our materials, and a new website. Expanding and deepening our operations has allowed the ICTJ to refine its distinctive, holistic approach to justice and apply it to a rapidly growing range of contexts. From Afghanistan to the Democratic Republic of the Congo to Colombia, our experiences have shown that transitional justice initiatives are vital to resolving issues around past abuses, as well as anticipating future opportunities for peacebuilding (pages 4-7). Because the Center cooperates with a wide range of actors in the struggle against impunity, we are well positioned to develop innovative approaches to conflict resolution. The ICTJ is also exploring new ways of representing victims' voices to ensure that their needs continue to inform our work. The Center's recent empirical survey work (pages 6-7) in Afghanistan, Colombia, and Uganda illustrates this growing emphasis on ensuring that victims' perspectives on justice and peace are taken into account. Findings like these are crucial to understanding the relationship between transitional justice and peacebuilding and breaking entrenched patterns of violence. The ability to anticipate trends is crucial to laying the groundwork for justice, even before transitions begin. Nowhere has this been more visible during the past few years than across the Middle East and North Africa (pages 8-9), where the sudden succession of many of the region's most entrenched rulers has opened doors to dealing with past abuses and shaken the foundations of political institutions. The ICTJ's expanded presence in the region We are encouraged by signs that transitional justice mechanisms are becoming increasingly relevant to stable societies. Several established democracies (pages 10-11), including Canada and the United States, have worked with the ICTJ to open investigations into aspects of their own troubled pasts, challenging the notion that only "developing" countries must cope with legacies of abuse. While maintaining our strong involvement with truth-seeking and prosecutions efforts-working with all ten truth commissions operating in the past five years and with various tribunals around the world-the Center has developed focused expertise in other thematic areas (pages 12-16, 17-19), including reparations, security sector reform, and disarmament, demobilization, and reintegration (DDR). The ICTJ has also become increasingly conscious of the need for more thorough reflection and analysis of the effects of conflict, abuse, and transitional justice efforts on women (page 40) and children to understand how best to address past violations. The expansion of the transitional justice field and the broadening and deepening scope of the Center's work underscore how widely applicable transitional justice approaches have become. As the ICTJ embarks on its sixth year, it is well equipped and strategically positioned to pursue its mission to promote universal accountability and help victims worldwide realize their fundamental rights. By listening carefully to victims' voices, prioritizing their needs, and working collaboratively, we hope to contribute to solutions for achieving the justice, truth, and peace they deserve. Their courage to work toward these goals-often against tremendous odds- enhances their effectiveness and lends meaning to our efforts. Finally, without the deeply appreciated financial assistance of donors and governments, we could not respond to the increasing number of requests that come from all parts of the globe. The guidance and wisdom of our Board of Directors have enriched our accomplishments. And without our dedicated staff, often working long hours and traveling to dangerous regions, we would never have experienced the remarkable growth of our efforts to strive Alex Boraine Juan E. Méndez |
