We seek to promote justice in Congo by elevating the voices and influence of those charged with shaping, interpreting, and applying the law. We train and support jurists – lawyers, judges, and other legal professionals from eastern Congo to elevate justice in the context of a broken system.
The legal professionals we serve are doing extraordinary things to transform lives, such as the following:
- Aggressively prosecute those who commit violent crimes against women.
- Advocate for the wrongfully imprisoned and help to set them free.
- Give legal counsel to the poor, free of charge.
- Defend widows whose property rights are unjustly denied.
One exciting result is the formation of the International Association of Christian Jurists which consists of “cell” groups. The goal of these groups is to promote and advocate for transformation in the justice system, starting at a grassroots level. Active associations are now operating in the cities of Beni, Butembo, and Bunia.
Through the relentless pro bono services, over 200 wrongfully imprisoned individuals, including 75 imprisoned children, have been freed. Here is just one story of a teenager who spent 10 months under terrible conditions in prison before the Justice Initiative stepped in to free him.
In April 2017 Congo Initiative’s 5th International Justice Conference was hosted on UCBC campus. Around 130 legal professionals attended the conference, more than doubling the attendance from the last conference held in 2015. Once the global pandemic ends and it is safe to travel, the Justice Initiative will host the 6th International Justice conference.
