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Resource Library

The Resource Library stores all of ICTJ’s published works since 2001 to the present, grouped by category and searchable by key word, country, issue, language, and more.

We are continually adding new content from our archives, especially our Multimedia content. Check back regularly to explore newly added videos, photo galleries, and audio products.

A Look Back on the Expert's Choice of 2019

As subscribers, you enjoy timely commentary on what’s happening in transitional justice around the world written by one of our experts exclusively for our monthly World Report newsletter. In this month’s edition, we bid farewell to 2019 by looking back on the experts’ choices of the past year.

01/08/20

ICTJ Head of Office for Colombia, María Camila Moreno, Honored for Untiring Efforts for Peace

On December 12, ICTJ’s head of office for Colombia María Camila Moreno received the Alfonso López Michelsen Award for her dedicated work to advance peace and uphold international human rights and humanitarian law.

12/18/19

In Colombia, an Unlikely Soccer Match Brings Together Victims and Former Combatants

In 1998, Colombian filmmaker Sergio Cabrera released “Time Out,” a fictional comedy in which guerrilla members and soldiers — usually mortal enemies — call a momentary truce to watch the national soccer team play in the qualifiers for the 1994 World Cup. Twenty years later, former combatants of both sides, members of the security forces, and victims of the conflict came together at Llano Grande in the region of Dabeiba to watch Cabrera’s film and play a game of soccer.

11/15/19

In The Name of Loved Ones: Justice for the Missing and Disappeared

The trend of missing and disappeared persons due to conflict remains more prevalent than ever today. Many governments around the world have remained undeterred in their abuse of power to invade a home or community and remove persons deemed to be a threat. This intractable problem has received global attention largely due to the efforts of family members who often risk their lives in pursuit of the right to know and ‍‍to bury their loved ones.

08/28/19

'On Solid Ground:' New Report on Transitional Justice and SDG16+

New York, June 3, 2019—Today, with just over a month to go before the 2019 UN High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) on Sustainable Development, ICTJ and its partners have released the Report of the Working Group on Transitional Justice and SDG16+, entitled “On Solid Ground: Building Sustainable Peace and Development After Massive Human Rights Violations.”

06/03/19

Students Lead the Way: A Vote in Favor of Reparations for Slavery

In the United States, the debate over a national reparations program for slavery and Jim Crow has until now encountered political opposition. However, transitional justice approaches at the community level are increasingly surfacing to address racial injustice. A handful of 2020 presidential candidates have come out in support of reparations for slavery. Recently, Georgetown University took center stage in this debate when its student body voted in favor of a student-led initiative to establish a fee that will fund education and health care programs for the descendants of 272 enslaved persons sold by the university in 1838.

05/23/19

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ICTJ Announces a 4-Year, 40 Million SEK Contribution Agreement with Sida

NEW YORK – The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) has awarded the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) a grant of 40 million Swedish kronor to implement its Strategic Plan 2018-2022. During this period, ICTJ will respond to the growing demand for its services...

12/04/18

An Overlooked Aspect of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence

Recent recognition of the work of Nobel Laureate Nadia Murad has drawn global attention to the issue of sexual violence and gender-based violence in conflict. But, as ICTJ Expert Kelli Muddell argues, the nuances of gender norms and how they impact women, men, and vulnerable populations are still often missing from conversations about victims.

10/30/18

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Fanning the Flames of Hope in Nepal

Victims in Nepal have been calling on the government for public consultation to ensure wider discussion, a process that would allow them to share their expectations, help them to comprehend the dense language of the proposed amendments and its many gaps. They needed to understand the dubious phrasing especially on issues of criminal accountability that created suspicion, instead of trust and legitimacy in the process.

10/25/18

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“Now Is a Time to Lead:” Advancing Transitional Justice Initiatives through Local Governments in Nepal

This report aims to help local governments, victims’ groups, and other stakeholders in Nepal to understand the scope of and potential inherent in local governmental powers and to identify what local governments can do to design and implement initiatives that support victims of conflic...

07/13/18

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Elena Naughton and Kelen Meregali

Turning Tears into Happiness: The Prospects of Local Reparations Initiatives in Nepal

Nepal’s new local government structure – comprised of districts, municipalities, sub-municipalities, and wards formed within the new federal system under the 2015 Constitution – offers the possibility of some individualized redress for victims at the community-level. This article by Elena Naughton was published in the Kathmandu Post on May 6, 2018.

04/26/18

ICTJ Strategic Plan 2018-2022

These are especially challenging times for those of us who work to assist societies in dealing with a legacy of atrocities and massive human rights violations. Violent armed conflicts have increased in number, duration, and ferocity around the globe. Immense displacement and waves of ...

03/31/18

Pursuing Truth, Justice, and Redress in Nepal

The ICTJ continues to support human rights victims in Nepal in their pursuit of justice, truth, reparations, and institutional reform. This briefing paper presents a summary of findings and recommendations from workshops that ICTJ conducted with women victims, as well as meetings it h...

02/14/18

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Elena Naughton

A Practitioners' Perspective on Forms of Justice in Peru and Colombia

To mark the launch of our new publication, "Forms of Justice: A Guide to Designing Reparations Application Forms and Registration Processes for Victims of Human Rights Violations", we sat down with Jairo Rivas about his work in designing reparations forms in Peru and Colombia.

12/07/17

Forms of Justice: A Guide to Designing Reparations Application Forms and Registration Processes for Victims of Human Rights Violations

In a number of countries around the world, governments have created state-administered reparations programs for victims and communities that were most affected by massive human rights violations. The success of these programs, which often involve thousands of individuals, depends in p...

12/06/17

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Ruben Carranza, Cristián Correa, and Elena Naughton

Emilio Mignone Lecture Asks: How Can the United States Confront Racial Injustice?

Do the concepts and strategies of transitional justice have a role to play in the United States? Our 2017 Emilio Mignone Lecture asked that question, with Darren Walker, President of the Ford Foundation, and Sherrilyn Ifill, President and Director-Counsel of the NAACP Legal Defense Fund, joining ICTJ's David Tolbert in conversation. Watch the full discussion here.

11/27/17

To Prevent Enforced Disappearances, Rethink the Justice and Security Equation

With enforced disappearances on the rise, ICTJ President David Tolbert says the path to prevention is clear: the international community must reorder its priorities and change its approach. The disproportionate attention on counterterrorism takes us further away from accountability and prevention, Tolbert writes. He urges the international community to lead the way in unequivocally censoring governments that use enforced disappearance as a political tactic — and ensuring there can be no impunity for this crime.

08/30/17

Is the United States Ready for a Truth-Telling Process?

Fania Davis thinks the time has come for a truth-telling process about racial injustice in the United States, and she is working to make it a reality. We sat down with her and her colleague, Jodie Geddes, to discuss their vision for a national process, what they hope it would achieve, and what they have learned from their conversations with local leaders so far.

08/09/17

“Once the Truth is Found”: ICTJ Report Sparks Discussion in Nepal

A new ICTJ report on truth and memory in Nepal sparked discussion – and calls for victim-centered policies – at national and local launch events.

07/06/17

Two Judgments in Chile Mark Progress in Prosecuting State Agents for Enforced Disappearances

Chile has shown slow but steady progress on criminal justice. Two recent court decisions convicted a total of 139 state agents for their roles in the enforced disappearances of 21 Chileans. The rulings – one handed down by the Supreme Court, the other by a first instance judge – highlight the growing momentum towards obtaining justice for victims of the 1973-1990 dictatorship.

06/19/17

New Book from ICTJ Examines How Transitional Justice Must Adapt to Difficult Circumstances in Today’s World

A new book by ICTJ titled Justice Mosaics: How Context Shapes Transitional Justice in Fractured Societies examines the challenges of responding to massive human rights violations in different and difficult circumstances in today's world.

05/16/17

Justice Mosaics: How Context Shapes Transitional Justice in Fractured Societies - Report

This report presents the main findings of a multiyear research project conducted by the International Center for Transitional Justice on the challenges and opportunities of responding to serious and massive human rights violations in different contexts. The project commissioned 21 stu...

05/12/17

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Roger Duthie

Justice Mosaics: How Context Shapes Transitional Justice in Fractured Societies

What hope is there for justice for victims of atrocities in profoundly fractured societies, where systems of government have broken down and social and political divisions run deep? What is the role of transitional justice in forging peace in countries like Colombia, after decades of ...

05/12/17

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Roger Duthie and Paul Seils

Court-Ordered Reparations for Sexual Violence Must Go Beyond Money to Truly Help, Says New ICTJ Paper

A new briefing paper from the International Center for Transitional Justice provides guidance for national courts issuing decisions on redress of human rights violations involving sexual violence. It encourages judges, advocates and prosecutors to consider the full range of possible forms of redress when ordering reparations for victims, to make use of relevant national and international decisions in interpreting domestic laws, and to pay particular attention to how sexual violence may affect different victims.

04/12/17

ICTJ at 15: A Word from President David Tolbert

Join President David Tolbert as we celebrate ICTJ at 15 years, during which there have been many pivotal moments, both for our organization and the struggle for justice globally.

12/15/16

Ten Years After Peace, Is Nepal Finally Serious About Finding Its Disappeared?

1,300 are still missing in Nepal, nearly a decade after the country's bloody civil war ended. The peace agreement was meant to provide for the families of the disappeared, but today they are still searching for answers. As a new government body begins investigations, victims wonder: is the commission fully committed to addressing their needs?

08/29/16

Helping Victims Overcome Human Rights Violations Through Education

Understanding education as a form of both reconstruction and reparations is essential for societies in their efforts to address victims’ rights and help victims and their families overcome the consequences of a painful past.

07/27/16

Barcelona Course Examines a Responsive Approach to Justice and Peacebuilding

This summer, our Intensive Course on Transitional Justice and Peace Processes brought experts from around the world together in Barcelona to examine how transitional mechanisms can be integrated into peace negotiations. Read about the course and watch interviews with our experts.

07/26/16

Peru: ICTJ Supports Victims Challenge of Unfair Compensation Program

ICTJ files legal brief supporting Peruvian families in their case for a just compensation program for victims of Peru's 1980-2000 internal armed conflict.

05/16/16

Panel Discussion Examines the Impact of Denial

What happens when a state refuses to acknowledge the suffering of victims of mass atrocities? Or when the public celebrates perpetrators as heroes? Earlier this month, a panel discussion hosted by The International Center for Transitional Justice and New York University’s Center for Global Affairs grappled with the impact of denial on justice.

04/27/16

Negotiating Peace and Justice: A Course on the Place of Transitional Justice in Peace Processes

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) and the Barcelona International Peace Resource Center (BIPRC) are pleased to announce an Intensive Course on Transitional Justice and Peace Processes, taking place in Barcelona, Spain, June 6 - 10, 2016. It will focus on practical examples of recent or paradigmatic peace processes where the question of justice formed a significant part of the negotiating context.

03/10/16

ICTJ Welcomes Agreement on Victims of the Armed Conflict in Colombia

ICTJ welcomes the recent agreement announced by the Colombian Government and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) to address issues of truth, justice, reparations and non-recurrence and hopes that it will pave the way for the successful completion of the negotiations to end the decades-long armed conflict in Colombia.

12/18/15

ICTJ Report: Complex Law and Violence Hamper Reparations for Victims in Colombia

A complex law and ongoing violence are complicating efforts by the Colombian government to provide reparations to millions of victims of the country’s internal armed conflict, according to a new report by ICTJ.

10/19/15

From Principles to Practice: Challenges of Implementing Reparations for Massive Violations in Colombia

This report examines Colombia’s Victims and Land Restitution Law (2011), which provides comprehensive reparations to conflict victims and restitution to victims of forced displacement who rely on land for their livelihoods – and assesses the challenges of implementing the law under cu...

10/19/15

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Cristián Correa

Overlooked and Invisible: The Women of Enforced Disappearances

70-94% of the victims of enforced disappearances are men. But what happens to the women left behind? ICTJ's Amrita Kapur explains why women are uniquely impacted by the crime, and how transitional justice can help.

04/14/15

After Torture Report, Rights of Victims and Accountability for Perpetrators Must Not Be Denied

With the publication of the much-delayed US Senate Intelligence Committee’s partial report on the CIA’s Detention and Interrogation Program, at long last the truth is out. In this op-ed, ICTJ's President David Tolbert asks the United States to acknowledge the truth, hold the perpetrators accountable and address its obligation to the victims of its detention policies.

12/11/14

Annex - "To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart" (Nepali)

Annex to the publication, "'To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart' -A Study of the Needs and Aspirations for Reparative Justice of Victims of Conflict-Related Abuses in Nepal." (Nepali)

09/17/14

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ICTJ

Annex - "To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart"

Annex to the publication, "'To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart' -A Study of the Needs and Aspirations for Reparative Justice of Victims of Conflict-Related Abuses in Nepal."

09/17/14

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ICTJ

Nepal: New Study by ICTJ Finds Conflict Victims Continue to Have Acute Needs; Calls for Comprehensive Reparations

A new study by ICTJ finds that victims of human rights violations committed during Nepal’s 10-year armed conflict continue to experience hardship – and calls on the government to implement a comprehensive reparations program to respond to their acute and long-term needs.

09/16/14

“To Walk Freely with a Wide Heart”

This report presents the findings of an in-depth survey of more than 400 conflict victims in 10 districts of Nepal, researching their immediate and long-term needs and aspirations. Participants included those who had received benefits through the government’s Interim Relief Program an...

09/16/14

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ICTJ

ICTJ Program Report: Nepal

During Nepal's armed conflict, more than 13,000 people were killed and 1,300 forcibly disappeared. Today, a new government has voted to create a Truth and Reconciliation Commission, as well as a Commission of Inquiry on the Disappearance of Persons. Many victims have protested the flaws in the proposals; meanwhile, no comprehensive reparations have been provided for those left most vulnerable by conflict. In this interview with ICTJ's Santosh Sigdel, we discuss developments related to ICTJ's work in Nepal.

07/01/14

Transitional Justice and Women’s Rights: Four Countries to Watch This Year

To mark International Women’s Day, we invite you to read about four countries at the top of our gender justice priorities in the coming year, each with its own history, context, and complex sets of challenges.

03/05/14

Nepal: Rethinking Transitional Justice Post Elections

In this opinion piece, Lucia Withers argues that Nepal's elected parties and their representatives should not limit their discussions to the establishment of a truth commission or whether it will provide for amnesties and/or prosecutions. Rather, they should focus on designing policies that are more comprehensive and that would better serve the rights and needs of conflict victims and contribute to broader peace-building efforts.

11/18/13

Transitional Justice Mechanisms in Colombia since 2005

Next week, the Colombian courts will issue the first partial verdict in the Justice and Peace case against the paramilitary leader Hebert Veloza García, alias “HH,” one of the most significant cases of the Justice and Peace process. Ahead of the HH partial verdict on October 30th, ICTJ is launching a comprehensive timeline on transitional justice measures implemented in Colombia since 2005 that recognize victims' rights to truth, justice, reparations, and the guarantee of non-recurrence.

10/24/13

A Reflection on ICTJ’s “Voices of Dignity”

ICTJ's documentary Voices of Dignity inspired Wilson Herrera, professor of philosophy and researcher at the Universidad del Rosario in Colombia, to reflect on the role of victims in a democratic society, and on the importance of empowering them as agents of change and rights-holders, rather than relegating them to the status of permanent victims.

09/27/13

5 Reasons We Use Multimedia

ICTJ is launching a new multimedia page featuring projects that highlight the human perspective of issues in transitional justice and seek to engage a wide variety of audiences in a discussion on accountability for massive human rights abuses. Here's why we think multimedia can play a key role in deepening public understanding of transitional justice, and convey the guiding principles of ICTJ.

08/06/13

Reparations in Peru: From Recommendations to Implementation

This report evaluates the government of Peru’s partial results in providing compensation to victims of the internal armed conflict that devastated the country from 1980 to 2000. It provides a detailed analysis of the process of implementing the Comprehensive Reparations Plan, establis...

06/26/13

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Cristián Correa

ICTJ Program Report: Reparative Justice

Reparations seek to recognize and address the harms suffered by victims of systematic human rights violations. ICTJ’s Reparative Justice program provides knowledge and comparative experience on reparations to victims' groups, civil society and policymakers worldwide. In this edition of the ICTJ Program Report, we look at ICTJ's work on reparations in dynamic transitional contexts such as Nepal, Colombia, Peru, DRC, and Uganda.

05/13/13

Can Reparations Help Fight Discrimination Against Women?

In times of transition, reparations can make a tangible impact on the everyday lives of victims. As part of a larger process of social change, reparations programs should be part of an integrated approach to addressing the fundamental rights of victims, not just their immediate needs. In this way, reparations programs have the potential to be transformative. It was this potential that was considered at a recent international seminar, "Transformative Reparation for Women Victims of Armed Conflict," held in Colombia, on November 16, 2012.

11/29/12

Voices of Dignity: A Story of Struggle for Victims’ Rights

Where states commit widespread and systematic crimes against their citizens, or fail to seriously try to prevent them, they have a legal obligation to acknowledge and address the suffering of victims. Reparations, both symbolic and material, publicly affirm that victims are entitled to redress. Through video and three photogalleries, ICTJ’s multimedia project Voices of Dignity tells the story of two courageous women from Colombia, and their struggle for acknowledgement and redress in a country where more than four million people have been affected by decades of civil war.

11/27/12

We work side by side with victims to obtain acknowledgment and redress for massive human rights violations, hold those responsible to account, reform and build democratic institutions, and prevent the recurrence of violence or repression.