International Justice Project

The International Justice Project (IJP) was established to advance the cause of international justice with a special focus on human rights and humanitarian law.

Our activities center around supporting and assisting the representation of victims in the Darfur Situation before the International Criminal Court (ICC). The formal inclusion of victims in the trial proceedings at the ICC gives, for the first time, victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, the opportunity to actively participate in an international criminal trial. International Justice Project founders, Wanda M. Akin and Raymond M. Brown, represent the first victims recognized in the Darfur situation before the ICC, including four victims recognized to participate in the case against Omar Hassan Ahmad Al-Bashir, President of the Republic of Sudan. This achievement is the result of hundreds of interviews conducted by Akin, Brown, and the IJP staff, with Darfurians located in Europe, East Africa, and United States.

In addition to this main task, the International Justice Project is also involved in research and advocacy for the development of mechanisms to address the health and welfare of victims of atrocities. In this capacity, we have launched a new venture, with the support of the Marilyn S. Broad Foundation, titled the Darfur Community Health and Reparations Project (HARP). The HARP-project will assess and document specific pressing medical and mental health needs in the Darfuri community. Specifically, it will conduct an audit to produce data on the specific types of harm from which the Darfuri refugee community is suffering as a result of the destruction of Darfur. Using this information, the HARP project hopes to galvanize public and private resources to provide assistance for the Darfuri Diaspora in the U.S. and abroad, and to provide data for a debate on restorative justice mechanisms.

Finally, the IJP engages with decision-makers, academia and other members of civil society by giving lectures and talks and through participation in public discussions.