YORJA

30/07/2026

"You carry stories that were never yours to bear. You witness pain, document injustice, pursue accountability and somewhere along the way, you forget to make space for your own healing. But you are not alone."

At YORJA, we know that behind every human rights report, every peacebuilding dialogue, and every accountability process are practitioners carrying the emotional weight of the work.

Letters We Never Send is a quiet reminder that resilience does not mean carrying everything alone. Sometimes, the first step towards healing is simply knowing that someone understands.

This letter is for every human rights defender, peacebuilder, humanitarian, and justice practitioner who continues to show up even on the difficult days.

We invite you to read this open letter by Patience Oben on https://yorja.org/blog and share with us: How do you navigate the emotional realities of human rights and peacebuilding work?

Your story may be the encouragement someone else needs.

22/07/2026

Thank you to everyone who took the time to apply for the 3rd Cohort of the YORJA Peace Acorns Programme. We are truly honoured by the incredible response and the interest shown by applicants from across the region and beyond.

The selection process is now ongoing and will take about three weeks after the application deadline. During this time, our team will carefully review all applications.

Please note that only selected applicants will be contacted. The programme is scheduled to commence in August, and successful participants will receive further details before the start date.

Thank you for your patience and for your interest in joining the YORJA Peace Acorns Programme. We wish all applicants the very best.

-PAP

03/07/2026

Over the past 2 days in Dakar - Senegal, we had the privilege of convening an inspiring group of young changemakers for engagements focused on using the Youth-Friendly African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP) as a practical advocacy and community engagement tool.

The conversations, reflections, and exchanges reinforced the important role young people continue to play in shaping inclusive approaches to justice, peacebuilding, reconciliation, and civic engagement across the continent.

We are deeply grateful to all the participants for their energy and commitment, and to our partners whose collaboration made the engagement possible.

As we continue to localise and expand access to youth-centred transitional justice resources, we remain encouraged by the growing network of young leaders committed to advancing dialogue, healing, accountability, and social transformation within their communities.

19/06/2026

YORJA is thrilled to share its latest blog, which focuses on the cost of social indifference and unpacks what happens when communities become detached from justice processes.

The blog, "The Cost of Indifference in Transitional Justice Processes," highlights how transitional justice depends on collective participation, shared responsibility, and meaningful inclusion to be effective.

The author Hanna Tadesse uses folklore to show how overlooking a danger because it feels distant can result in shared suffering and collective tragedy, illustrating how the effects of such disengagement run counter to the pillars of transitional justice outlined in the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP).

Read the full blog here: https://yorja.org/blog/cost-of-indifference

16/06/2026

🚨 Applications are now open for the 3rd Cohort of the YORJA Peace Acorns Programme!

Are you a young African passionate about:
⚖️ Transitional Justice
🕊️ Peacebuilding
🏗️ Post-Conflict Reconstruction
📢 Human Rights & Accountability

This 4-month programme is designed to equip emerging changemakers with practical knowledge, mentorship, and a network of professionals committed to sustainable peace in Africa.

📅 Application Deadline: 7 July 2026
🔗 https://yorja.org/programmes

Join us in shaping justice and sustainable peace across the continent.

04/06/2026

We are pleased to welcome two new members Hanna Tadesse and Douglas Drake Onen to the growing team at YORJA as we continue to expand our work across transitional justice, youth engagement, peacebuilding, and governance on the African continent.

Their addition reflects YORJA’s continued commitment to building a multidisciplinary and youth-driven institution capable of advancing research, advocacy, policy engagement, and practical interventions around transitional justice and human rights across the continent.

We are excited for this next chapter and look forward to the work ahead together.

01/06/2026

Missed the webinar?

The recording of “Letters We Never Send: Mental Health, Justice and the Emotional Realities of Peace Work” is now available.

In this conversation, we explored the often unspoken emotional realities of peacebuilding, transitional justice, and human rights work, reflecting on grief, trauma, resilience, healing, and the importance of creating spaces of care.

A heartfelt thank you to our incredible speakers and everyone who joined the discussion and shared their insights.

🎥 Full recording: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mxbvEHH2Cko

Some conversations stay with you long after the meeting ends. Some stories do too.

Join us on 29 May, 2026 as we discuss about the emotional realities of peacebuilding, justice work, and advocacy - the parts we rarely speak about publicly, but carry quietly every day.

“Letters We Never Send: Mental Health, Justice, and the Emotional Realities of Peace Work” brings together practitioners and advocates to reflect honestly on burnout, grief, resilience, and healing within the human rights and transitional justice space.

If you work in advocacy, peacebuilding, development, or simply care about the people behind the work, we would love to have you join us.
🗓 29 May 2026
⏰ 12:30 PM EAT
📍 Zoom
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C_MuIfBZROmUBem7dJ6fIw

27/05/2026

Some conversations stay with you long after the meeting ends. Some stories do too.

Join us on 29 May, 2026 as we discuss about the emotional realities of peacebuilding, justice work, and advocacy - the parts we rarely speak about publicly, but carry quietly every day.

“Letters We Never Send: Mental Health, Justice, and the Emotional Realities of Peace Work” brings together practitioners and advocates to reflect honestly on burnout, grief, resilience, and healing within the human rights and transitional justice space.

If you work in advocacy, peacebuilding, development, or simply care about the people behind the work, we would love to have you join us.
🗓 29 May 2026
⏰ 12:30 PM EAT
📍 Zoom
Register here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/C_MuIfBZROmUBem7dJ6fIw

25/05/2026

On Africa Day, we celebrate Africa’s resilience, diversity, and the collective pursuit of peace, accountability, human rights, and sustainable development.

YORJA reaffirms its commitment to advancing justice, research, and advocacy across the continent by strengthening inclusive dialogue, empowering communities, and promoting justice-centered policies essential to shaping a more peaceful and equitable Africa for present and future generations.

Happy Africa Day 2026!

20/02/2026

After months of consultative work with young leaders, civil society partners, and technical stakeholders across Africa, we are excited to unveil A Youth-Friendly Version of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP)!

This resource translates the AUTJP into accessible language and practical guidance tailored for young people, CSOs, and grassroots actors - ensuring that youth across Africa can understand, engage with, and use the policy to shape inclusive transitional justice processes in their communities.

Why it matters:
➡️ Many young Africans live with the legacies of conflict and injustice, yet lack tools and pathways to engage policy processes meaningfully.
➡️ The Youth-Friendly AUTJP bridges that gap - making the continental policy more relatable, actionable, and empowering for today’s youth.

This achievement was made possible through a rigorous, participatory process involving consultations across regions, stakeholder engagements in multiple countries, and technical guidance from the African Union Department of Political Affairs, Peace and Security.

A formal launch is just around the corner - happening in the next couple of days in Addis Ababa 🇪🇹. We are looking forward to sharing more details soon…

Access the resource at: https://yorja.org/youth-friendly-autjp/

Huge thanks our partner Impunity Watch who made this possible and the Government of the Kingdom of the Netherlands for their support. 🤝