Communicating Justice

About Communicating Justice

ABOUT COMMUNICATING JUSTICE

"Communicating Justice" is a two-year project which aims to raise levels of public awareness and public debate around transitional justice issues in five post-conflict African countries:  Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Liberia, Sierra Leone and Uganda.

Transitional Justice processes are rapidly proliferating throughout Africa, as societies emerge from conflict. Increasingly, countries are deciding to deal with their violent histories through a variety of mechanisms, including criminal prosecutions, institutional reforms, truth-seeking commissions, and reparations for victims of grave human rights abuse. 

The media is key to the success of transitional justice processes, being the general population’s main source of information about such mechanisms. Transitional justice processes by their very nature must be debates that are widespread, inclusive, transparent and public. Transitional justice mechanisms are often regarded with scepticism locally and seen as costly, externally imposed and irrelevant to local realities. The media can counteract this constraint to the success of transitional justice processes by facilitating public understanding and engagement.

The project, which runs from 2007 to the end of 2008, is being carried out by the BBC World Service Trust, in partnership with the International Center for Transitional Justice. It has three broad strands that are being implemented in each of the five project countries:

• Population surveys of knowledge and attitudes toward transitional justice (TJ) issues;
• In-country training of 20 selected journalists, as well as activities designed to engage the support of their managers or editors; and
• Follow-up activities via online learning, Internet, and local mentoring

Specialist training of local journalists is a key component of the project, which includes the

production of specialist training materials. Throughout the project’s two-year training cycle, in-depth face-to-face and online training is providing media professionals with the necessary knowledge, skills and motivation needed to report responsibly on the selection, implementation and impact of transitional justice mechanisms in their respective countries.

“Communicating Justice” is funded mainly by the European Union and the Dutch government, with additional funds from the US-based nongovernmental organisation Humanity United. 

ABOUT THE TRUST

The BBC World Service Trust uses media to promote development and human rights around the world. As the BBC's independent charity, it relies on the BBC's reputation, resources and expertise to implement its donor-funded projects. The Trust works in over 50 countries worldwide. It is currently working in Africa, the Middle East, South and South-East Asia and the Former Soviet Union, using media creatively in the fields of health, livelihoods, governance, human rights and post-disaster rehabilitation.

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CENTER FOR TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE 

The International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ) is a human rights organization that assists countries pursuing accountability for mass atrocity or human rights abuse. Founded in 2001, the Center has worked in more than 43 countries around the world. The ICTJ provides support to human rights trials, truth commissions, reparations programs, judicial and security sector reform initiatives, and peace negotiations. Working with local partners, the Center provides comparative information, legal and policy analysis, and research to justice institutions, nongovernmental organizations, governments, the United Nations, and others.