ICTJ Core support 2022-2025

FY24 selected results: Global and regional level: - ICTJs project on Advancing the Reparations Agenda culminated in the November 2023 publication and launch of the report "Advancing Victims Rights and Rebuilding Just Communities: Local Strategies for Achieving Reparation as a Part of Sustainable Development." The report provides comparative analysis of reparative justice efforts in The Gambia, Uganda, Tunisia, and Colombia and is based on two years of partnerships with local civil society organizations, program work, and research on the ground. The aims of the study are to document and learn from the strategies used by local actors to advance and shape reparations; to identify complementarities with the reparative elements of criminal accountability and reform; and to situate these efforts within the framework of sustainable development and peace. - ICTJ began a project to support the incorporation of MHPSS in the European Unions justice interventions (under the EU Facility on Justice in Conflict and Transition, in partnership with UK-based organization Conciliation Resources. also a partner to Sida's strategy for peace, security and stabilisation). In early 2024, ICTJ convened an expert meeting which gathered inputs and analysis for civil society experts on future EU efforts in integrating MHPSS in TJ processes. The project will contribute to the creation of a set of operational guidelines on the subject for the European Union. - ICTJ helped to establish the African Women for Transitional Justice (AW4TJ) coordination platform, which is intended to enhance womens meaningful participation in transitional justice processes across the continent. Country level: - ICTJ began co-hosting a series of dialogues with Ukrainian and international policymakers on victim-centered approaches to justice. One result of this work was a discussion on MHPSS. While the Ukrainian government has made strides towards addressing its citizens MHPSS needs, its approach has focused mainly on mental health interventions with trained medical staff. ICTJ drew on the findings of their innovative MHPSS research project to frame the conversation, and brought together members of Ukrainian civil society and international experts who presented lessons learned from the experiences of Colombia, Northern Ireland, and Syria. The dialogue provided policymakers with an overview of the impact of different types of violations and the innovative ways civil society and governments in other contexts have designed effective MHPSS interventions for victims of mass violations. - Throughout the FY24, ICTJ contributed to the Gambian National Human Rights Commissions (NHRC) development of a witness and victims protection policy based on lessons learned from other relevant contexts. Also in the Gambia, ICTJ conducted a series of trainings and roundtables on SGBV. In the associated survey, over 70% of survey respondents reported that ICTJ's activities helped them to better understand the procedures for reporting and referring SGBV. Many participants welcomed ICTJs work to bridge the gap between civil society, victims, and the local authorities with a role to play in combatting SGBV. - After several strategic engagements, ICTJ formally launched the Judicial Bench Book on the Prosecution and Adjudication of International Crimes(JBB), a reference for Ugandas International Crimes Division (ICD) judges presiding over international criminal cases. During the launch, Justice Flavian Zeija, Ugandas Principal Judge, noted that the JBB would support the efficient disposal of cases at the ICD, helping to address the issue of lengthy cases that infringe on the victims right to access justice. Also in Uganda, ICTJ worked to develop a gender analysis of Ugandas National Transitional Justice Policy and the AU Transitional Justice Policy, which identifies gaps and recommends how to address them in a gender-sensitive way. - ICTJ provided technical assistance to Ethiopias Ministry of Justice in formulating a National Transitional Justice Policy based on findings from national consultations. Ethiopia subsequently adopted the policy in April 2024. This included help to enhance the gender-sensitivity of the policy through ICTJ's support to the Network for Ethiopian Womens Associations. The Network includes a diverse array of womens rights organizations from different regions, ethnicities, and generations, having different opinions about which policy options could best address the violations women experienced the root causes of conflict. However, through ICTJ's facilitation and explanation of the different policy options, they helped the Network to engage in dialogue and come to a consensus. Several of the recommendations in the policy brief were incorporated into the final policy adopted by the Ministry of Justice. - During FY24, ICTJ continued to provide technical support to the CVJRR in CAR, equipping it with the skills and knowledge needed to implement its mandate in an inclusive, victim-centered, and gender-sensitive way. ICTJ assisted the CVJRR to operationalize by creating a statement-taking manual and form; a referral form; and the terms of reference for an International Steering Committee. Subsequently, ICTJ supported the CVJRRs pilot phase of statement taking, through which the Commission refined the manual and form based on feedback from a dozen victims who participated. Unfortunately, in May 2024, only a few months after the pilot phase, the CVJRR was dissolved by a presidential decree. CAR authorities have not publicly given any explanation for this decision. These developments thus make the future of the transitional justice process in the country unclear. Overall during the past year: - On average, 78% of beneficiaries reported they perceive increased ability to pursue justice in their countries and communities. - ICTJs efforts contributed to increasing direct access to justice for an estimated figure of over 145 000 thousand people in the FY24. - ICTJ informed and contributed to at least 9 policies and other solutions put into action in the past year. - Over 90% of respondents in some countries perceived that they are in a better position now, such as in Libya, Sudan, and Syria. Over 60% of those beneficiaries were women.

ICTJs 5-year strategic plan is designed around one main objective: Societies implement transitional justice solutions to address legacies of massive human rights violations and lay the foundations for peace, justice, and inclusion. The two global outcomes that will contribute to reaching the overall objective are: 1) Societies implement responsive and gender-sensitive solutions to address the legacies of massive human rights violations. 2) Practitioners and policymakers at the international level have better information and expanded capacity to advance responsive, gender-sensitive, and context-specific solutions. This reflects ICTJs two major arenas of implementation country-specific interventions and global policy work aiming to shape global transitional justice knowledge and practice. With this contribution, Sida will support the first four years of the 5-year strategic plan. The summary of the strategic plan includes some targets for different stages of the agreement period (Dox 012597/22) and thus constitutes relevant input to what is expected to be achieved by the end of the contribution.