Publications

This briefing examines the gaps in the UK's current universal jurisdiction framework, which prevent British courts from prosecuting many suspected perpetrators of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes present in the UK. It argues that removing nationality and residence restrictions from the International Criminal Court Act 2001 would strengthen accountability, expand access to justice for victims and survivors, and ensure the UK does not become a safe haven for perpetrators of the world's most serious crimes.

International justice is at an inflection point. The past years have seen historic accountability advances; yet the international justice system is also under unprecedented political pressure, with deliberate efforts to undermine its legitimacy and operational capacity. Justice for the gravest crimes is rarely quick. Survivors may wait decades to be heard. Evidence can take years to reach a courtroom. A change in law or political will can suddenly open a path to accountability, or close one. This is the difficult terrain in which the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) works. Since December 2023, nine civil society organisations, 46 local partners worldwide, and two associate partners have combined survivor support, legal action, documentation, advocacy and institutional engagement to help keep routes to justice open, and, where possible, move them forward. Bringing together complementary mandates, we operate as a unified initiative across 28 priority country situations worldwide.This impact report captures the implementation of GIAI from December 2023 to May 2026. It highlights achievements across five thematic areas, shows how different types of support have combined to advance accountability, and explores the foundations the programme has laid for lasting impact.

Global Initiative against Impunity (GIAI) briefing welcoming the adoption of the revised EU Victims’ Rights Directive and setting out recommendations on how the upcoming Strategy on Victims’ Rights  2026–2030 Strategy could strengthen the implementation of rights for victims of core international crimes.

This briefing paper outlines El Ghan’s case, which is emblematic of activists and protesters in Western Sahara who suffer human rights violations and pursue justice. Morocco, the Committee Against Torture (CAT) and others in the international community should take urgent steps to ensure that all people in Western Sahara are protected from torture and ill-treatment and that, for those who have already been subjected to human rights abuses, effective remedies and reparation are facilitated.

Developed in the framework of the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) by TRIAL International with Civil Rights Defenders, the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR), the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and REDRESS, this comparative study examines what makes cooperation effective in practice, where difficulties arise, and how relationships between CSOs and domestic authorities can be strengthened.

In recent years the UK has chipped away at the framework designed to prevent torture, dropping its anti-torture strategy and introducing laws that put survivors of torture at risk or make it harder to hold those responsible for torture to account. These proposals are a starting point for the Government to uphold the torture ban and support survivors in the UK.

This factsheet provides an overview of the achievements and impact of the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) from 2023 to 2025 across its priority areas, including victims' rights and participation, immunity and non-cooperation, universal jurisdiction, gender justice, and upholding and strengthening international justice. The Global Initiative Against Impunity: Making Justice Work is a civil society-led consortium  advancing inclusive, survivor-centred justice for international crimes and serious human rights violations in 28 countries worldwide.