Representatives of civilian war victims associations from all over Afghanistan will gather in Kabul March 30-31 to share their experiences and strengthen the national war victims’ movement at a moment when civilian deaths are increasing and justice is at risk of being sacrificed for political expediency.
The two-day conference is being organized by the Transitional Justice Coordination Group (TJCG), a leading civil society coalition that advocates for the rights of victims of war and oppression. In May of last year, the TJCG held a ‘Victims Jirga,’ Afghanistan’s first ever national gathering of civilian war victims and their advocates after more than three decades of armed conflict.
The March 2011 conference will build on the achievements of the Victims Jirga by strengthening cooperation between victims’ groups in different regions and building trust among victims from different eras of conflict and segments of Afghan society.
Activists will be updated on pressing human rights issues and political developments affecting transitional justice, including the implementation of the government’s reconciliation and reintegration plan.
Parliamentarians, members of provincial councils and international experts will also be in attendance.
The conference is supported by the International Center for Transitional Justice (ICTJ), the Estonian Embassy, the United States Institute for Peace (USIP), Open Society Afghanistan (OSI), and the Afghanistan Independent Human Rights Commission (AIHRC).
Conference Time: 8:30am to 4:00pm, March 30 – 31, 2011
Venue: Kabul University Road, in front of Ministry of Higher Education- Mowj Mursal Hotel.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Simultaneous translation into English will be provided during the conference. Special interview opportunities with the participants of the conference will be possible during the tea and lunch breaks. Please confirm your presence in advance. For more information, contact tjcgafghanistan[at]gmail[dot]com or 0777315029
Transitional Justice Coordination Group - Afghanistan 