The Ministry of Justice has unveiled the completion of a draft implementation roadmap for Ethiopia’s recently endorsed transitional justice policy. This policy aims to address a spectrum of human rights violations, historical conflicts, narratives, and abuses that have affected various segments of society over different periods.
According to the ministry’s announcement, the roadmap is poised to guide the execution of the transitional justice policy, which received the green light from the Council of Ministers in April 2024. The draft is now open for discussion and input from Ethiopian stakeholders.
The initial phase of the roadmap focuses on establishing independent institutions in line with the policy’s framework and ensuring the functional setup of all transitional justice mechanisms. It encompasses both provisional and permanent structures designed to facilitate the active involvement of civil society.
Moreover, the roadmap stresses the importance of coordinating diverse approaches, prioritizing sequence, coherence, and sustainability, while also advocating for the establishment of complementary institutions and legal frameworks.
Efforts to enhance the capacity of these institutions, along with addressing the roles of regional and traditional justice systems, vulnerable groups, accountability, and measures to support survivors of gender-based violence, are outlined within the roadmap.
The Ministry underscores that the transitional justice system will be rooted in national ownership and public leadership. To this end, awareness campaigns will be conducted to elucidate the policy’s significance, content, and implementation, including educational initiatives.
In fostering inclusive dialogue, four workshops were convened in Addis Ababa, gathering representatives from political parties, civil society organizations, democratic institutions, victim groups, and government officials. These stakeholders actively engaged in deliberations and contributed valuable feedback on the draft policy content.