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As gunfire dies down over Tripoli, the new Libyan authorities will be coming to terms with enormous dilemmas about the hierarchy of priorities in building a new society. Their offices will see long processions of emissaries from near and far in the coming days and weeks. Some will be sternly pressing for issues of security to be immediately addressed and others will demand that business and development concerns precede all else, while there are also bound to be those advocating for justice to be done first and quickly.

In this op-ed, ICTJ Vice President Paul Seils argues that the front line of justice must always be national courts and justice systems. "Citizens must see social institutions at work in their home countries, as it is there that courts can repudiate wrongdoing and reaffirm the most fundamental elements of the contract that binds a society together. It is there that having the dignity of a citizen can have its fullest meaning," writes Seils on International Justice Day.

The Task Force on Justice is gathering inputs in order to encourage greater provision of justice to people and communities outside the protection of the law. As the Task Force has pointed out, the “justice gap” that it seeks to reduce is greatest in conflict-affected countries, where only 3 percent of development assistance goes to justice.

Mali's Truth Justice and Reconciliation Commission has a mandate to examine violence dating back to 1960, but it faces serious challenges. Can it serve as a foundation of a peaceful future in Mali? We discuss with transitional justice expert Kora Andrieu, who is currently working with the TJRC as an independent consultant.

To commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Justice and Peace Law—which created Colombia's first transitional justice system—media outlet Verdad Abierta, the Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, and ICTJ partnered to produce an investigative four-part series in Spanish that critically assesses its legacy. Now translated into English, this second installment explores the unprecedented challenges the country faced as the process got underway.

On November 25, 2021, The Gambia’s Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC) presented its 17-volume final report and recommendations to President Adama Barrow, after multiple delays. The final report includes a record of serious human rights violations committed under Jammeh’s repressive regime and recommendations for pursuing justice. Despite the challenges, steps have already been taken that offer hope that the TRRC’s recommendations will take effect.

Because transitional justice processes are complex, politically contested, and not necessarily linear, they present unique theoretical and practical challenges for measuring their results. This report seeks to improve monitoring and evaluation practices and support evidence-based processes and interventions in the transitional justice field. It promotes a more nuanced approach to monitoring and evaluation that considers the specific challenges, conditions, and needs of the field and the different contexts where transitional processes are pursued.

In transitional contexts, reporting does not simply present the facts, but instead shapes the parameters for interpreting divisive political issues. Coverage in such polarized contexts can mitigate or obscure the substance of transitional justice efforts to establish what happened, who the victims were, and who was responsible for the violations. It can either catalyze or paralyze the debate on how to repair victims and ensure that systematic violence does not recur.

Local and Topical Experts ICTJ’s programs covering Middle East and North Africa, Americas, Europe, Asia and Africa are a rich source of information and expertise. Our experts are able to offer comment and analysis on a wide spectrum of justice-related issues. Media Inquiries For press inquiries and further information, please contact Chris Boland at +1 917 637 3805 or [email protected].