International justice is at an inflection point. The past years have seen historic accountability advances; yet the international justice system is also under unprecedented political pressure, with deliberate efforts to undermine its legitimacy and operational capacity.
Justice for the gravest crimes is rarely quick. Survivors may wait decades to be heard. Evidence can take years to reach a courtroom. A change in law or political will can suddenly open a path to accountability, or close one.
This is the difficult terrain in which the Global Initiative Against Impunity (GIAI) works. Since December 2023, nine civil society organisations, 46 local partners worldwide, and two associate partners have combined survivor support, legal action, documentation, advocacy and institutional engagement to help keep routes to justice open, and, where possible, move them forward.
Bringing together complementary mandates, we operate as a unified initiative across 28 priority country situations worldwide.
This illustrated impact report captures the implementation of GIAI from December 2023 to May 2026. It highlights achievements across five thematic areas, shows how different types of support have combined to advance accountability, and explores the foundations the programme has laid for lasting impact.
An alliance with a joint purpose
GIAI brings together civil society organisations working at different points in the justice process, with survivors, in courtrooms, with investigators and prosecutors, with parliamentarians and with international institutions. Our value lies in connecting these different spaces and forms of expertise when a case, policy opportunity or crisis requires it. Together, we cover the spectrum of what accountability for international crimes requires. The comprehensive approach we take towards justice and accountability places survivors as agents of change.
