What we do

PJI talk at the Commonwealth Legislative Counsel conference in Abuja, Nigeria, April 2010
PJI talk at the Commonwealth Legislative Counsel conference in Abuja, Nigeria, April 2010

One aim of the Peace and Justice Initiative is to encourage the national adoption of laws under which crimes against humanity, genocide and war crimes can be prosecuted.

The Peace and Justice Initiative focuses on:

1. Assisting in the development of the legal framework for the implementation of the ICC Statute

Assisting in the development of the legal framework for the implementation of the ICC Statute
• Expert advice to working groups on implementation issues relating to the ICC Statute
• Assistance in reviewing existing laws for compatibility with the ICC Statute
• Technical review of draft ICC implementing legislation
• Capacity building workshops for legislative draftersAssisting in the development of the legal framework for the implementation of the ICC Statute
  • Expert advice to working groups on implementation issues relating to the ICC Statute
  • Reviewing existing laws for compatibility with the ICC Statute
  • Technical review of draft ICC implementing legislation
  • Capacity building workshops for legislative drafters

2. Building capacity in the legal and related professions for handling core crimes cases.

Organising activities such as trainings, workshops, seminars, peer-to-peer meetings for the requirements of:

  • Judges and judicial assistants,
  • War crimes investigators (including on issues relating to forensic and military analysis),
  • Prosecutors,
  • Defence Counsel,
  • Registry officials (including on issues of protections of victims and witnesses).

3. Awareness raising activities and building long term structural capacity

Courses, seminars, lectures delivered in partnership with:

  • Professional Associations
  • Judicial Training Institutes
  • Law Schools and Universities

What our partners say about our work

Brigitte Suhr, Director of Regional Programs, Coalition for the International Criminal Court

12 November 2012

“Following renewed action in 2012 by the Bolivian government to implement the Rome Statute within the Bolivian Criminal Code as well as the Bolivian Code of Criminal Procedure, PJI has adopted a “Manual on Implementation of the Rome Statute within the Bolivian legal system”, which aims at providing useful tools for legislators tasked with the implementation of this international instrument. The Manual, which takes a comprehensive look at recent developments in both international and Bolivian case law regarding crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide, has also been adopted with the purpose of providing judges, magistrates and other juridical operators with a tool which offers an in-depth analysis of the main characteristics and nature of the aforementioned international crimes.

We are confident that the Manual prepared by PJI will be a useful reference for the work which is being carried out by the national authorities charged with drafting new criminal legislation in Bolivia.”

Estelle Appiah, Former Chief Legislative Counsel, Director of Legislative Drafting, Ministry of Justice, Ghana

3 July 2012

“I would be very happy to recommend the work of the Peace and Justice Initiative.

During my tenure as Director of Legislative Drafting at the Ministry of Justice in Ghana I commissioned the Peace and Justice Initiative to undertake an expert review of the draft legislation for the implementation of the Rome Statute which my department had prepared.

I was very pleased to receive a Position Paper and an annotated copy of the Bill addressing various provisions on which constructive suggestions were made to strengthen the framework for fuller and more effective implementation. Despite the short time scale during which the Peace and Justice Initiative expert report had to be prepared, I found it thorough and detailed.  …

… (t)he cooperation between the legislative drafting team and PJI as an expert NGO to strengthen draft legislation, was very useful and is a good model for the future.

I have been impressed with the work and goals of PJI, and since my retirement as Director of Legislative Drafting I have been serving on PJI’s Advisory Board.

I strongly recommend PJI for any assignments to do with the Rome statute and confirm that their assistance to the Government of Ghana was much appreciated.”

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