Who We Are
About YORJA
Youth Organisation for Research and Justice Advocacy — Sustainable Change Through Advocacy and Youth Participation
Our Origin
Born from the African Youth for Transitional Justice Programme
The African Union, with support from the U.S. Mission to the African Union, organised the 3rd edition of the African Youth for Transitional Justice (AY4TJ) programme from the 2nd to the 4th of November 2022, in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea. Dozens of young people from across the continent were brought together for a three-day intensive training on the African Union Transitional Justice Policy (AUTJP).
The youth were trained on critical aspects of the AUTJP and inducted into the already established continental youth platform on transitional justice. It was from the energy and conviction of this cohort that YORJA was conceived — participants who came together to set up an organisation capable of leading the implementation of the AUTJP, encouraging active youth participation in transitional justice processes, and providing a platform through which youth can engage in and shape the policy-making process.
YORJA is a registered Trust under the laws of the Republic of Kenya. Our target audience are African youth, youth-led groups, and other transitional justice stakeholders.
Our goal is to give young people a forum where they may express themselves, have their voices heard, and be encouraged to take part in creating a more equitable and peaceful society.
“We believe that by enabling young people to be transitional justice leaders, we can make the world a fair and peaceful place for everybody.”
Our Purpose
Mission & Vision
Mission
To empower young people to lead the process of transitional justice, promote accountability, and foster reconciliation in communities affected by conflict and human rights abuses.
Vision
To foster a society in which young people are acknowledged as change agents in the promotion of transitional justice, where their involvement is essential to achieving long-term and inclusive peace.
We foresee a future in which communities affected by conflict and human rights violations have access to justice, healing, and reconciliation — and where youth-led initiatives play an important role in determining the path ahead.
Justice is not revenge, it is a tool for healing and rebuilding our society.
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf
Truth & Reconciliation Commission · Liberia, 2006
Our Mandate
Our Objectives
Five strategic pillars that guide our work across the African continent.
Streamline Transitional Justice Processes
Advocating for the streamlining of various transitional justice processes and experiences across the region, and at national levels.
Promote Comprehensive Youth Engagement
Promoting comprehensive youth engagement in transitional justice processes through youth-led initiatives, capacity trainings, effective engagements at the annual African Transitional Justice Forum, youth-led research and documentation on human rights violations, strategic training on AUTJP implementation, and youth-led initiatives contributing to accountability, truth-telling, and reconciliation — including through cultural and artistic expressions.
Engage Policymakers
Engaging policymakers and implementers on post-conflict reconstruction and development, with particular focus on the concerns of youth in post-conflict processes across the continent.
Serve as a Continental Vanguard
Serving as a continental vanguard to enhance the popularisation, local ownership, and youth involvement in the implementation of the AUTJP by AU member states across all levels of governance.
Collaborate & Partner
Collaborating and partnering with other youth-led groups and transitional justice stakeholders to create a more inclusive and youth-centred approach to transitional justice.
Governance Documents
Download Our Charter
YORJA's founding charter is available in both English and French. Download your preferred version below.
🇫🇷 YORJA Charter
Français
Téléchargez la charte fondatrice officielle de YORJA en français.
Download .docx