Experts and Practitioners Discuss Reparations by Non-State Armed Groups

Group photo of the participants to the expert meeting Group photo of the participants to the expert meeting

18 June 2019

In an expert meeting organized at the Geneva Academy by the School of Law at Queen’s University Belfast, more than 30 academics and practitioners from a range of backgrounds and institutions from around the world discussed reparations by non-state armed groups during and following armed conflicts.

‘This meeting aimed at sharing our preliminary findings on reparations and non-state armed groups from fieldwork in Uganda, Peru, Colombia, Northern Ireland, Nepal, South Sudan and Guatemala’ explains Luke Moffett, Senior Lecturer at Queen's University Belfast.

‘It was our pleasure to run our workshop in the historic Villa Moynier, which provided the conducive space to work with the academics of the Geneva Academy and others on this significant but sensitive issue’ he adds.

A Key Transitional Justice Issue

Participants discussed how reparations by non-state armed groups might operate in practice during and following a conflict, what role apologies by non-state armed groups can play in providing symbolic reparations to victims, as well as the issue of humanising combatants, including their social reintegration.

‘As most armed conflicts are, today, non-international armed conflicts involving armed groups, the questions of reparations by these actors is a major issue for transitional justice’ underlines Frank Haldemann, former Co-Director of our MAS in Transitional Justice, Human Rights and the Rule of Law (MTJ).

‘The research project addresses a largely neglected topic of central practical relevance, challenging many current assumptions in the field, and is therefore welcomed’, adds Thomas Unger, former Co-Director of our MTJ.

A Handbook for Humanitarians

The research team at Queen’s University Belfast will build on these discussions and their research to produce in early 2020 a handbook for humanitarian organizations to engage non-state armed groups on reparations.

MORE ON THIS THEMATIC AREA

web of information News

New Research Brief Examines the Relationship Between Digital Technologies and Their Misuse in Surveillance, Cyberattacks, and Disinformation Campaigns

21 February 2025

Our new research brief examines the complex relationship between digital technologies and their misuse in surveillance, cyberattacks, and disinformation campaigns.

Read more

News

The Jean-Pictet Competition: Learning Beyond the Classroom

10 December 2024

Each year, the Geneva Academy sends a team of students to the Jean-Pictet Competition. Participating in this leading moot court is a life-changing experience and an integral part of our programmes.

Read more

Event

Local and Regional Governments as Key Actors in Advancing Human Rights and the SDGs

17 March 2025, 13:00-14:00

This event will identify strategies to strengthen Local and Regional Government collaboration with National Mechanisms for Implementation, Reporting, and Follow-up.

Read more

Event

Film Screening and Discussion – Rule Breakers

18 March 2025, 18:30-21:00

Join us for a one-night-only screening of Rule Breakers, directed by two-time Oscar-winner Bill Guttentag, telling the true story of Afghanistan’s first all-girls robotics team.

Read more

Universal Declaration of Human Rights Booklet Training

The International Human Rights Standards and System: Monitoring and Implementation Strategies at the National Level

7-11 July 2025

This training course will delve into the means and mechanisms through which national actors can best coordinate their human rights monitoring and implementation efforts, enabling them to strategically navigate the UN human rights system and use the various mechanisms available in their day-to-day work.

Read more

Open dump Training

Protecting Human Rights and the Environment

15-19 September 2025

Participants in this training course will gain practical insights into UN human rights mechanisms and their role in environmental protection and learn about how to address the interplay between international human rights and environmental law, and explore environmental litigation paths.

Read more

Screenshot of the RULAC webpage Project

Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts (RULAC)

Started in May 2007

The Rule of Law in Armed Conflicts project (RULAC) is a unique online portal that identifies and classifies all situations of armed violence that amount to an armed conflict under international humanitarian law (IHL). It is primarily a legal reference source for a broad audience, including non-specialists, interested in issues surrounding the classification of armed conflicts under IHL.

Read more

Session of the UN Human Rights Committee Project

Treaty Body Review 2020 and Beyond

Started in January 2018

The Geneva Human Rights Platform contributes to this review process by providing expert input via different avenues, by facilitating dialogue on the review among various stakeholders, as well as by accompanying the development of a follow-up resolution to 68/268 in New York and in Geneva.

Read more

Cover of the publication Publication

Briefing N° 25: Localizing Multilateralism

published on March 2025

Domenico Zipoli, Ludovica Chiussi Curzi, Kamelia Kemileva

Read more

Cover page of the working paper Publication

AI Decoded: Key Concepts and Applications of Artificial Intelligence for Human Rights and SDG Monitoring

published on January 2025

Milica Mirkovic, Jennifer Victoria Scurrell

Read more