Publications

The new US president, Joe Biden, has signaled his commitment to resetting the US relationship with countries in Africa, including through a focus on fighting corruption and advancing human rights on the national and regional level. As part of this commitment to promoting democracy and enhancing protections for historically marginalised groups, the Biden administration should double down on a human rights-centred policy in Sudan. There is real momentum in Sudan for important reforms, but strong voices for change must contend with a deepening economic crisis and political headwinds. Recognising these challenges, the US should take concrete action to reinforce recent steps towards democratization and human rights reforms. This Briefing Note by REDRESS and PLACE lays out several human rights priorities for the United States in Sudan under the new administration.

This briefing note analyses the key elements of Sudan’s general amnesty, which was announced on 12 November 2020, and provides several points of clarification for the transitional government on the resolution’s scope of application.

The report stems from extensive research and consultations that were carried out with victims of armed conflict in Guatemala and Uganda. Both countries have been the focus of international assistance for transitional justice for many years and, as such, they provide a long-term perspective on what has worked and what has not in terms of victim participation. This report is our attempt to recapitulate and explain what “victim-centred” should mean in the specific context of transitional justice. What is meaningful and can lead to change and what is merely ticking the box or promoting a mantra without providing the space for victims to shape their own future?

In a joint letter to the Sudanese transitional government, over 20 civil society organisations urged the government to promptly ratify the UN Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) and the International Convention for the Protection of All Persons from Enforced Disappearances (ICPPED).

This briefing was prepared by Protection Approaches, Waging Peace and REDRESS ahead of a debate on a Westminster Hall debate on October 15th on the June massacres in Sudan and the UK’s support for Sudan’s democratic transition. Our briefing highlights how at a critical moment in Sudan's transition towards democracy, the risk of violence and atrocities remain high. This presents an important opportunity for the UK to reprise its role as Sudan's "critical friend” to support an inclusive and sustainable transition process for Sudan.

Ahead of the 45th session of the UN Human Rights Council, and at a critical juncture for Sudan, 23 civil society organisations have written to the Permanent Representatives of Member and Observer States of the United Nations Human Rights Council to highlight the need for their delegations to support the Council’s ongoing contribution to systemic human rights reforms in the country. As Sudan’s political transition remains fragile, the Council has a responsibility to both support national authorities and actors and maintain the monitoring and public reporting capacity of the Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR).

This Report Summary outlines the main findings of the report Not Without Us: Strengthening Victim Participation in Transitional Processes in Uganda. Uganda is a country whose complex cycle of conflicts at different stages of its development has created untold suffering for its citizens. The report analyses some of the challenges in translating the promise of victim-centred processes from rhetoric into reality. The report is based on research and activities carried out by REDRESS, Emerging Solutions Africa (ESA) and the Uganda Victims’ Foundation (UVF), between November 2017 and March 2020, under the project: Strengthening Victim Participation in the Fight against Impunity for International Crimes. Activities included victim forums in the areas most affected by the war in Uganda and high-level policy conferences in Kampala and The Hague. The project aimed to support victims of international crimes and the local organisations assisting them to participate meaningfully in local, national, and international transitional justice processes.

This report examines victim participation in transitional justice (TJ) processes in Uganda, a country whose complex cycle of conflicts at different stages of its development has created untold suffering for its citizens. The report analyses some of the challenges in translating the promise of victim-centred processes from rhetoric into reality. The report is based on research and activities carried out by REDRESS, Emerging Solutions Africa (ESA) and the Uganda Victims’ Foundation (UVF), between November 2017 and March 2020, under the project: Strengthening Victim Participation in the Fight against Impunity for International Crimes. Activities included victim forums in the areas most affected by the war in Uganda and high-level policy conferences in Kampala and The Hague. The project aimed to support victims of international crimes and the local organisations assisting them to participate meaningfully in local, national, and international transitional justice processes.