The SCSL and NPWJ organise the pre-launch of the Report on the impact and legacy of the Special Court for Sierra Leone The Hague, 29 October 2012
THE HAGUE, Netherland, October 29, 2012/African Press Organization (APO)/ -- The Special Court for Sierra Leone (SCSL) and No Peace Without Justice (NPWJ) are organising the pre-launch of the survey “Making Justice Count: Assessing the impact and legacy of the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Sierra Leone and Liberia”, on Monday 29 October 2012 at 11:30-12:30, in the premises of the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, The Hague. After the Charles Taylor sentence was issued at the end of May 2012, the Special Court for Sierra Leone, with funding from the European Union, commissioned a nationwide survey in Sierra Leone and Liberia, which was conducted on the impact and legacy of the Special Court for Sierra Leone by No Peace Without Justice and its Sierra Leonean and Liberian partners. The purpose of the survey was to capture people's understanding about the mandate and operations of the SCSL and establish its impact through its judicial proceedings, its legacy work and its outreach program. The survey was administered throughout Sierra Leone and Liberia to 2,841 people, representing diverse walks of life, sexes and age groups, with an emphasis on ensuring the inclusion of historically overlooked voices, including women, young people and persons with disabilities. The survey covered a range of areas relating to the SCSL's impact and legacy, including peace, justice, the rule of law, redress, national law and perceptions relating to the trials and their impact in both countries. The results of this survey will be presented during this pre-launch, which will include a video conference joining The Hague with the Special Court for Sierra Leone in Freetown. Participants will include SCSL staff and officials, notably the Registrar, Prosecutor and Principal Defender; Civil Society representatives from Sierra Leone; and NPWJ partners in Sierra Leone and Liberia. • Special page on the Report • Click here to download the full report in pdf format No Peace Without Justice and Sierra Leone NPWJ has a long standing commitment to Sierra Leone, including a wide-ranging program in the country from 2000 to 2004 that was designed to contribute to the accountability process for violations of international criminal law. That program contributed to the establishment and functioning of the Special Court and to strengthening Sierra Leonean society's ability to address violations of human rights and humanitarian law, with a particular focus on outreach and conflict mapping. In recent years, NPWJ has been working in Sierra Leone on ICC issues, including implementing legislation and holding seminars and round table discussions, and on FGM. NPWJ will continue with its involvement in Sierra Leone to facilitate the government and local stakeholders participating in and influencing the processes for maintaining the rule of law, peace and stability.