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On February 20, ICTJ and New York University School of Law’s Center for Human Rights and Global Justice (CHRGJ) proudly presented the 10th annual Emilio Mignone lecture. For this milestone in the lecture series, ICTJ and CHRGJ welcomed as speaker former UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, Pablo de Greiff.   Close to 200 people attended the public event, held at the law school’s campus in New York City. Among the distinguished guests was Isabel Mignone, the daughter of Emilio Mignone, the renowned Argentine human rights lawyer and early transitional justice architect after whom the lecture series is named. A robust question and answer session followed the lecture, moderated by ICTJ’s Deputy Executive Director Anna Myriam Roccatello. In his address, titled “The Future of the Past: Reflections on the Current State and Prospects of Transitional Justice,” de Greiff took stock of the field, its accomplishments in the past 30 years and the challenges it faces today and in the years to come. He also reflected on the lasting legacy of the past, particularly for victims of massive human rights abuses, their families, and their societies. “The future of dealing with the past,” de Greiff said in his opening remarks, “is another way of referring to transitional justice.” “The question remains about the amazing endurance of the past, the fact that is does not go away. That, for example, efforts to bribe people by offering them economic development instead of justice may work for awhile but only that, for awhile,” he continued. “There are things that we cannot reasonably expect our fellow citizens to forget…. In many ways, [not] dealing with the past is not an option.” De Greiff pointed to the field’s many triumphs in its relatively brief history, especially its normative impact on both human rights discourse and practice. “Transitional justice has unpacked and, in that sense, helped to give richer content to the notion of justice that is relevant in the wake of massive and systematic violations and abuses,” he said. “Transitional justice has helped to entrench rights to justice, truth, and reparations that 30 years ago were largely fictions for the overwhelming majority of victims of human rights violations and abuses. And it has done it not only doctrinally but also importantly practically.” The Special Rapporteur, however, insisted on modesty in his overall assessment of the field and its capacity for transformative change. “As it has been said of peace agreements, I think transitional justice is not meant to take people to heaven; it is meant to take people out of hell,” he said. “Transitional justice, I want to insist, is not is a universal policy tool, a cure for all sorts of maladies. It is a small, albeit important, part of a broader transformative agenda.”

Ongoing economic and social inequality, a legacy of the dictatorship, affects Tunisians across generations, but has particularly pronounced impacts on young people. ICTJ worked with four young photographers to confront the consequences of marginalization and explore its impacts on Tunisian youth. Their four photo galleries comprise the exhibition "Marginalization in Tunisia: Images of an Invisible Repression.” In this gallery, Emna Fetni explores the neighborhoods on the social and spacial fringes of Tunis.

Ongoing economic and social inequality, a legacy of the dictatorship, affects Tunisians across generations, but has particularly pronounced impacts on young people. ICTJ worked with four young photographers to confront the consequences of marginalization and explore its impacts on Tunisian youth. Their four photo galleries comprise the exhibition "Marginalization in Tunisia: Images of an Invisible Repression.” In this gallery, Nedra Jouini explores the sense of dread and isolation she says is the result of economic and social exclusion.

Ongoing economic and social inequality, a legacy of the dictatorship, affects Tunisians across generations, but has particularly pronounced impacts on young people. ICTJ worked with four young photographers to confront the consequences of marginalization and explore its impacts on Tunisian youth. Their four photo galleries comprise the exhibition “Left Behind”: Young Photographers Capture Marginalization in Tunisia.” In this gallery, Ashraf Gharbi explores the challenges facing a couple who stood up to the state.   About the Gallery Born in 1959, Kamel Taghouti joined the army at the age of 16, eventually rising to the rank of battalion commander. During the first general strike since Tunisia’s independence on January 26th 1978, also known as “the Black Thursday”, his unit was deployed and ordered to open fire on civilians. Kamel refused this order and was dismissed for insubordination. Since then, he has struggled to find both a livelihood and a place to live, as the authorities harassed and pressured him, ensuring that  he would  continuously lose his job and be evicted from his home. He is currently unemployed.  Born in 1969, Kamel’s wife, Najet Baccouche, has also suffered because of her willingness to speak out. Najet has written books and articles about the injustice and tyranny of the former regime, which exposed her to numerous violations by the political police. She published her first book in 1996, الهاوية الى الصعود ( “The Rise of the Vacuum”); her second book was confiscated in her home by the political police and she was subjected to beatings.  Due to this violence, she still faces many difficulties today.  About the Photographer Ashraf Gharbi, 24, is an activist and business student based in Tunis. He’s had a camera in his hands for as long as he can remember. “My story with the camera started when my father was exiled because of his own photography,” Ashraf says. “I inherited his camera and his love for images, and ever since then I have wanted to cover events from all over the world for Tunisians.” Since those early explorations with photography, Ashraf has done just that, visiting many African and European countries, taking both photos and video back home with him. “The best feeling is when I see the reaction of the public, when people interact with my work.”   Explore the other three galleries that comprise "Marginalization in Tunisia: Images of an Invisible Repression" Nedra Jouini on the psychological effects of marginalization Ali Jabeur on the economic and ecological decline of the Gulf of Gabbes Emna Fetni on the social and spacial outskirts of Tunis

Ongoing economic and social inequality, a legacy of the dictatorship, affects Tunisians across generations, but has particularly pronounced impacts on young people. ICTJ worked with four young photographers to confront the consequences of marginalization and explore its impacts on Tunisian youth. Their four photo galleries comprise the exhibition "Marginalization in Tunisia: Images of an Invisible Repression.” In this gallery, Ali Jabeur explores the environmental and economic devastation of the fishing town of Gabes. About the Gallery For years, many people in the Gabes region in eastern Tunisia were fishermen. The Gulf of Gabes is the largest in Tunisia home to a variety of fish and plentiful resources. But in 1947 a chemical company set up in the region. At first it was a boon, creating more jobs, but over time it has become a curse: the factory has become a source of deadly chemical pollution. Aside from the toxic gas that it produces the company also pours waste into the sea each day, which has driven out many of the marine animals that have given life to the region. These problems have had a deep impact on the region: most fishermen in Gabes are now unemployed and have many qualms with the state, which does not seek solutions for their plight. About the Photographer Ali Jabeur, 26, began pursuing photography as a child. “I was the only one in the family allowed to use my father’s ‘very precious’ camera,” he explains. Those amateur family snapshots blossomed into a serious passion during the 2011 Jasmine Revolution, when Ali discovered the power of the photo. “I realized that being a photographer is a responsibility and that taking pictures is a mission,” he says. “For me, it means committing to and defending a cause, an approach that guides all of my work.” Ali is now photojournalist and is currently setting his own communication company up. Explore the other three galleries that comprise "Marginalization in Tunisia: Images of an Invisible Repression" Nedra Jouini on the psychological effects of marginalization Emna Fetni on the social and spacial outskirts of Tunis Ashraf Gharbi on the challenges facing one couple who stood up to the dictatorship

For years the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) captured thousands of young girls in northern Uganda, forcing them to be not only soldiers, but wives and mothers too. When these women finally escaped their captors, children in tow, they hoped to be welcomed back into their communities. Instead, they and their children were met with rejection because of their time “in the bush” with the LRA. This stigma continues to have severe social and economic consequences for mother and child: they are socially marginalized and can scarcely meet basic needs, such as food, clothing, and shelter. The children often cannot afford school, and face scorn when they are able to attend. Since 2015 ICTJ has allied with two local organizations to understand the impact of the lack of accountability for sexual violence committed during the conflict and advocate for redress. Founded by mothers who gave birth in LRA captivity, Watye Ki Gen and the Women’s Advocacy Network (WAN) work at a grassroots level to confront the pervasive stigma in their communities. They empower children born of wartime rape, and their mothers, both socially and economically. Watye Ki Gen has taken the lead in identifying and documenting children born in captivity and bringing them together in support groups. It provides counseling and support to the children, helping them address the stigma they face both at home and within their communities. WAN advocates for economic independence for formerly abducted women while also providing them with the tools needed to advocate for their rights. It offers literacy classes and other training, and its members petition the government to fulfill its obligations to them and their children. Go inside the work of both Watye Ki Gen and WAN, and meet the inspiring women behind their missions.

In Côte d’Ivoire, the state aims to restore victims’ rights and offer reparations to those affected by 2010’s post-election violence. A couple of years ago ICTJ came to the conclusion that discussions about how to provide reparations to victims had not sufficiently considered victims' opinions and needs, particularly of those living in the provinces or in marginal areas, some of whom were the most affected by the conflict. To help address these shortcomings, ICTJ organized consultations throughout the country, providing victims with forums to discuss their needs. Participants discussed the consequences of the conflict, the obstacles they now face as a result, and what sorts of policies would meet their needs. The forums included men, women and youth in Côte d’Ivoire, reflecting the diversity of experiences during the conflict and the needs that manifest themselves in communities today. The demands and suggestions expressed in these consultations form the basis of our new report, “Recommendations for Victim Reparations in Côte d’Ivoire.” Go inside the consultation process with Senior Associate Cristián Correa of ICTJ’s Reparative Justice Program, who besides conducting the project and co-authoring the report photographed the experience.

In October 2015, ICTJ asked Lebanese young people to use their cameras to explore their understanding of the Lebanese civil war as it shapes their country’s past and present. "The War as I See It" youth photo contest was organized to raise awareness about the importance of truth seeking and truth telling about people’s experiences of the war and post-war violence. The five winning photographs, selected by a jury of photographers, diplomats, and members of civil society, will travel the country with 21 other entries as part of a photo exhibit, sparking discussion among young people and the public. In this photo gallery you'll find the 26 entries, each accompanied by a short description from the photographer. The contest was organized in collaboration with the Embassy of Switzerland in Lebanon, the Embassy of France in Lebanon, the French Institute in Lebanon, the French Institute for the Near-East, and the Political Science Institute at Saint-Joseph University.

The intimacy of violence has left deep scars in Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina. Seemingly overnight, neighbors turned into perpetrators of incomprehensible violence. Today, twenty years since the end of the war, mothers of the disappeared often live next to those who disappeared their children. Silence and denial about the past continues to be imposed on both by the ongoing political conflict over the “prevailing truths” about what has taken place, with little space for an honest reckoning and forgiveness. With hopes dwindling that they will live to see the perpetrators face justice and refusal of the authorities to acknowledge and memorialize their loved ones, some families are breaking the silence by erecting their own memorials. Mina Delkic is one of them.

Thousands of children were born as a result of sexual violence in northern Uganda during the armed conflict that lasted from 1986 to 2007. Now, as teenagers and young adults who are trying to find their place back in their communities, these young men and women face a multitude of challenges – including stigma, poverty, and social exclusion – which hinder their reintegration into society and their future prospects. Over the two-decade conflict, girls and young women were specifically targeted for sexual violence by the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) and, in some cases, state forces. Among the serious crimes committed by the LRA, led by the infamous Joseph Kony, it is estimated that some 66,000 children and youth were abducted to serve as soldiers or sex slaves. ICTJ spoke with 249 people in the northern regions of Acholi, Lango, Teso, and West Nile in April 2015 to analyze the long-term consequences of the lack of accountability sexual violence committed during the conflict. Among those interviewed there were 52 children born of sexual violence (27 girls, 25 boys), who reflected on the challenges they face through group discussions and drawing exercises. Nothing can capture more clearly the ongoing impact of sexual violence than the words written by these young women and men. This photo gallery presents a selection of their drawings and thoughts on how their communities perceive them and how they see themselves and their hopes for the future. Children born of sexual violence are marginalized in northern Uganda. They are scorned for coming “from the bush,” they are labeled as “useless,” “cursed,” “failures,” “mad,” and even “monsters.” They are constantly reminded of their association to Joseph Kony, when people call them “child of Kony” or “wife of Kony.” Deep social stigmatization and exclusion often affects the children’s mothers and caretakers as well. “In Lamwo, where my grandparents stay, others abuse my grandparents because of me, others tell them to send me away to my mother, but because of their love they can’t,” wrote a 14-year-old girl from Pader District. When describing themselves in these drawings, the adolescents show resilience in moving past this rejection. They see themselves as “beautiful,” “innocent,” “positive,” “proud,” and capable of building a better future for themselves, their communities, and their country. “Being a war-affected person cannot prevent me from being either a doctor or the President of Uganda.” wrote a 19-year-old male from Oyam District. Nevertheless, many express contradictory feelings and frustration caused by the institutional neglect and total lack of opportunities. “Sometimes I lose hope because I have nothing,” wrote a young male from Gulu. Many participants emphasize that they need support in order to have successful futures and contribute to their communities. They often describe themselves as “poor” and see their economic struggle as a major obstacle in achieving the goals. “I want to study so that I can be responsible, but no one can support me in paying my school fees requirement. I don’t know where to go!!!” wrote a young girl from Gulu. Most of the adolescents see education as the essential step towards personal improvement, and they often link their own well-being to that of their communities and their country. In the words of a young girl from Gulu: “I see myself as useful to the community and I am working hard to change my life. I am hoping to have a good living. I want to help my parents, relatives and all of Uganda.” As ICTJ’s new report concludes, the social and economic challenges suffered by children born of sexual violence in Uganda and their mothers need urgent attention. The Ugandan government must to listen to these young women and men’s demands, acknowledge that their rights were violated, and provide the redress to which they are entitled. Read and download ICTJ’s report “From Rejection to Redress: Overcoming Legacies of Conflict-Related Sexual Violence in Northern Uganda,” and watch our film about their fight for justice.