There are two main opportunities for societies to seek accountability, acknowledgment, and reform after atrocities have occurred. One is when a regime has been overthrown, often by revolution, sometimes through elections. The other is when a peace process brings a conflict to an end, as happened in Guatemala, South Africa, El Salvador, Sierra Leone, and Colombia.

This process invites questions about how to address the legacy of that conflict under the terms of the peace agreement. What kind of justice is attainable? How should the victims of massive violations be treated in the process? What might punishment look like? And how can justice play a constructive role in forging a lasting peace?

The clearest example of ICTJ’s work in this context is Colombia, where we have played a trusted and constructive role in the peace process between the government and the FARC rebels. This role was recognized by both parties to the negotiations in inviting us to participate, along with a number of states and international governmental organizations, in a range of implementing and monitoring roles. Critically, ICTJ’s core constituency – the different victims of the conflict – also trusted us to establish a forum where they could consult on the best ways to have their views taken into account by the negotiators in Havana.

Throughout the process, we offered actionable advice on best practices that could be built into the agreement, seeking both justice and peace. We lent our expertise through meetings, working sessions and presentations to the negotiators in Bogotá, Havana, and NY; through expert publications addressing the key issues; and through major forums we convened, such as the conference on truth commissions ICTJ co-hosted with the Kofi Annan Foundation in Bogotá. At every step, we sought to offer advice on best practices that could be built into the agreement.

ICTJ has also provided broader analysis of the role mediators can play in peace process. For example, in 2005 published an influential analysis of the implications of the ICC’s Rome Statute for peace mediators and helped convene a conference at Greentree in New York on the “UN Guidelines to Mediators,” again focusing on possible implications in relation to the ICC. In 2013, we launched a major report in collaboration with the Kofi Annan Foundation, which explored the role of truth commissions in peace processes. The report titled Challenging the Conventional: Can Truth Commissions Strengthen Peace Processes examined case studies around the world to identify the most important lessons for future peace negotiations, such as those in Colombia.