Principles of justice affect how a community or society operates internally, and how it interacts with other groups of people. These apply at the level of international courts, through to how individuals relate to each other on terms of mutual respect.
FLIA’s research into justice incorporates the full spectrum of justice issues, from convictions at the International Criminal Court to local authority. It looks at the practical application of justice and how it impacts people’s everyday experiences of where they live and their communities.
Post-conflict
FLIA research in northern Uganda had a significant impact on a landmark trial at the International Criminal Court. Ahead of the trial of former Lord’s Resistance Army commander Dominic Ongwen, FLIA researchers showed that although the Western concept of consent may not be culturally appropriate, the actions of Ongwen were transgressive.
The testimony from FLIA helped expand the list of charges brought against Ongwen, who was found guilty in 2021. The research and the trial also set an important precedent about how witnesses of sexual crimes contribute to a trial, with a greater focus on minimising their exposure, in this instance by allowing them to testify from Uganda rather than travel to The Hague.
Further research into the aftermath of the Lord’s Resistance Army war with the Government of Uganda, looked at the different ideas and practices of justice that shaped the aftermath of the conflict in northern Uganda. The project also investigated why people seek engagement with legal institutions in these situations despite being deeply critical of the state.
The International Norms Project compares fundamental rights and freedoms currently protected under the Afghan Constitution with Islamic teachings, traditions and texts in Afghanistan. This includes examining how such rights were negotiated in other political transitions in Muslim majority societies elsewhere, and how methods of Islamic peacebuilding can be applied to conflicts.
Social justice
Ideas of justice can also shape how societies operate in peacetime. FLIA research has explored how South Sudanese hunger courts redistribute food to the hungriest in times of need and how these reflect socio-legal constructions of welfare, social hierarchy, and inequality.