There are numerous challenges to restoring justice and building sustainable peace in post-conflict environments. Traditional African justice institutions, which are reflective of indigenous values and notions of justice, are a crucial yet often underutilized and underappreciated tool in the peacebuilding toolbox, both for local, national, and international actors. This event will explore ways for African, U.S., and international actors to better engage with traditional justice institutions to bolster peacebuilding efforts across the continent.
Speakers will analyze the challenges to restoring justice in post-conflict environments in Africa and elsewhere, consider the role of indigenous institutions in addressing such challenges, including a case study of the Gereb in Northeast Ethiopia, and offer key recommendations and lessons learned for how policymakers and practitioners can better engage with traditional justice institutions to contribute to sustainable peace in Africa.
