Policymakers Programs

The ICTJ's International Policymakers Unit aims to engage and inform senior policymakers on a wide range of transitional justice issues, and inform and influence transitional justice policy developments based on international best practices. The program reaches senior policymakers in intergovernmental institutions, as well as those in national governments that play a key role in shaping transitional justice developments worldwide.

The program works in conjunction with interested governments or international institutions to offer briefings, seminars, and intensive, high-level retreats or conferences. It also provides strategic guidance and input on specific policy developments, generally on request, including on the establishment of guidelines, principles, and other foundational documents.

The program has organized a number of events with the United Nations. These include:

 

Donor Strategies for Transitional Justice: Taking Stock and Moving Forward (October 2007)

The field of transitional justice has expanded significantly in the past ten years. International donors have played an immense role in facilitating its growth, identifying gaps in knowledge and practice, and encouraging creative strategies. As societies across the world initiate such processes in increasingly complex contexts, donors and practitioners struggle to develop innovative ways to respond to claims for justice, safeguard victims and witnesses, and contribute to lasting change in contexts where many critical needs compete for attention. In an effort to answer these questions and contribute to a shared policy framework across international donors, ICTJ, with the support of the UK Department for International Development (DFID), held a conference in London on October 15-16, 2007. The event brought together 56 participants - representatives of donor countries, organizations and civil society - to discuss donor aid to transitional justice processes, partnership with national actors, and ways in which to contribute to effective transitional justice initiatives. Click here for the report (.pdf)

UN Peacebuilding Commission (ongoing)

ICTJ is contributing to the discussion around TJ through input on specific country situations, collaboration on lessons learned, relevant research, and best practices. Most recently ICTJ collaborated closely with the Peacebuilding Support Office (PBSO) through a Working Group on Lessons Learned on the topic of "Justice in Times of Transition". The presentation at that session delivered by ICTJ's Executive Vice-President Paul vanZyl on the challenges around transitional justice and peacebuilding is available here.

 

Transitional Justice Brownbag series at the UN Department of Political Affairs (ongoing)

ICTJ has organized a series of lunch presentations and discussions for staff of the UN Department of Political Affairs around topics relevant to their work. The l2008 sessions have included "Reparations in the Darfur", "Transitional Justice in Colombia", and "The Transition in Iraq".

 

Meeting on Building a Future on Peace and Justice (June 2007)

High-level dignitaries and over 300 practitioners from over 80 countries met in Nuremberg at the conference "Building a Future on Peace and Justice" to explore the potential tension between the goals of "peace" and "justice" in times of post-conflict negotiations, reconstruction and reconciliation processes. In the words of Frank-Walter Steinmeier, former German Foreign Minister, "by comparing experiences around the world, the conference will allow all stakeholders-mediators, national actors, international and regional organizations, and international justice mechanisms-to deal with the difficult decisions about peace and justice, of which there will be more in the future, in a more informed and creative manner." The conference concluded that both goals, if properly pursued, promote and sustain one another. Click here for papers and additional information on the conference.

 

Meeting on Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding (May 2007)

Members of the newly established UN Peacebuilding Commission, staff from the Peacebuilding Support Office, and representatives from the interested diplomatic and NGO community convened to inform debate and support creative strategies for integrating justice claims within the work of the United Nations Peacebuilding Commission. This discussion included expert sessions on prosecutions, truth-seeking, reparations, security system reform and gender justice as transitional justice approaches with implications for peacebuilding.

 

Meeting with Secretary General of the Organization of American States (July 2006)

ICTJ President, Juan E. Méndez, met with the S-G and 6 senior advisors of OAS, including the Executive-Secretary of the Inter-American Court, to discuss the organization's field missions. An principle focus of the discussion was on the DDR process in Colombia.

 

Meetings with the European Union (March 2006)

In collaboration with Michael Matthiessen, Javier Solana's Personal Representative on Human Rights, ICTJ Brussels organized a 3-day meeting between Juan E. Méndez and five ICTJ staff members and representatives of key institutions of the European Union. The principle meeting was a transitional justice seminar for the European Council's Political and Security Committee, which was attended by approximately 60 people. The ICTJ is the first NGO to do a private seminar for the Committee. In addition to other meetings held with three principal organs of the EU (Council, Commission, Parliament) and with NGO partners, ICTJ Staff met with the EU Special Representatives for Sudan, Great Lakes Region, Central Asia and South Caucuses.

 

UN Guidelines Meeting (June 2005)

A two-day meeting to review the UN guidelines for addressing the past in peacemaking or peacekeeping contexts, and to discuss significant developments in the field since the guidelines were released in 1999. Attended by peace negotiators, senior UN officials, independent experts, and NGO representatives.

 

The Wilton Park Conference (January 2005)

A high-level gathering at the Wilton Park Conference Centre in England, entitled "Transitional Justice and the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Societies: The Role of International Actors," which brought together participants from the diplomatic, political, NGO, and academic sectors to consider lessons learned and ways of strengthening the role of international actors.

 

UN Security Council Retreat (December 2004)

A two-day retreat to discuss challenges in the field of transitional justice, focusing on lessons learned from previous UN engagements and the contribution of transitional justice to post-conflict peacebuilding. Attended by current and incoming members of the UN Security Council, senior representatives from the UN Secretariat, and representatives from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Co-sponsored by the Permanent Missions to the United Nations of Chile, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.

 

UN Under-Secretaries General Retreat on Transitional Justice (February 2004)

A two-day seminar on transitional justice for under-secretaries general and other senior policymakers from the Department of Political Affairs, Department of Peacekeeping Operations, Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, Office of Legal Affairs, Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, UNICEF, the UN Development Programme, and the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

 

Seminars in Advance of the UN Secretary-General's Report (2004)

A series of seminars for representatives of interested UN member states, UN officials, and select NGO representatives. The seminars contributed to the drafting of the UN Secretary-General's Report on the Rule of Law and Transitional Justice in Conflict and Post-Conflict Societies. Organized in conjunction with the Missions to the UN of Finland and the United Kingdom.

 

ICTJ Presentations to the UN Security Council (2004)

The ICTJ addressed the Security Council on transitional justice issues four times in 2004, twice in formal sessions and twice at the less formal, closed-door Arria Formula meetings. These addresses were among the few occasions that an NGO has been invited to speak in formal session to the full Council.

 

Review of Impunity Principles (2004)

In 2004, The UN Commission on Human Rights appointed Professor Diane Orentlicher to review the Joinet Principles on combating impunity. The ICTJ hosted Prof. Orentlicher in New York for a briefing on this initiative with New York-based NGOs, in conjunction with the Open Society Justice Initiative. The Center also co-hosted an event, together with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, for Prof. Orentlicher to present her report on best practices to interested UN member states in New York.

The Center has also been engaged in a variety of other engagements with policymakers. The ICTJ wrote papers on truth commissions, vetting, and prosecution that will contribute to the guidelines for UN field missions. The Center is now writing a paper in the same series on "legacy" issues, i.e. how to leave behind strengthened systems and institutions after a period of international engagement and presence in a country.

In January 2005, Wilton Park and the ICTJ organized a high-level conference at the Wilton Park Conference Centre in England. The conference, entitled "Transitional Justice and the Rule of Law in Post-Conflict Societies: The Role of International Actors," considered lessons learned and ways of strengthening the role of international actors in the future. Participants from the diplomatic, political, NGO, and academic sectors participated.