Our Work for Justice & Human Rights
From community conciliation in the hills of Sud-Kivu to advocacy for a Special Criminal Court in Geneva and New York, discover how we work in practice.
The Kabare Legal Clinics & ADR Mediation
In rural Sud-Kivu, the distance to the high courts and the cost of litigation are an insurmountable barrier for farming households. Unresolved customary land and inheritance disputes frequently escalate into physical violence or accusations of witchcraft.
To fill this gap, SOS IJM has deployed its network of 5 physical legal clinics and conciliation centres working directly with citizens: Cirunga (opposite Kabare Central Prison), Mudaka, Miti, Kavumu as well as the legal advice desk in Bukavu.
Confidential Intake & Initial Hearing
Free registration of the dispute, review of the applicable titles or customs, and separate interviews with each party.
Mobile Conciliation Hearings
Our lawyers travel to the community and hold peaceful, adversarial discussions in the presence of respected elders and local chiefs.
Conciliation Record & Court Approval
A settlement agreement is drafted and signed by the parties, then promptly submitted to the Peace Court for official approval, giving it legally enforceable status.
Located directly opposite Cirunga Central Prison, it also enables immediate follow-up of people in police custody and pre-trial detention.
Sud-Kivu Provincial Edict
A pioneering legal protection text for HRDs
SOS IJM played a leading role in securing the adoption of the Provincial Edict on the protection of human rights defenders and journalists in Sud-Kivu. This framework obliges civil and judicial authorities to guarantee the safety of those who document abuses.
Emergency Protection for Threatened HRDs & Journalists
Human rights defenders, investigative journalists and environmental whistleblowers operate in an environment exposed to reprisals from armed groups, militias and rogue security agents.
Our response system triggers immediate measures as soon as a credible report is received:
Safety & Relocation
Discreet evacuation of the threatened defender and their immediate family to secure locations, with support for basic living needs.
Emergency Criminal Defence
Immediate formation of a legal team to challenge arbitrary detention and fabricated charges and to secure provisional release.
Transitional Justice, Reparations & a Special Criminal Court
Impunity for the war crimes, crimes against humanity and sexual violence committed in the DRC since 1993 fuels recurring cycles of violence. Alongside the Panzi Foundation and Dr Denis Mukwege, SOS IJM campaigns resolutely for impartial and restorative justice.
Advocacy for a Special Criminal Court for the DRC
Establishing a hybrid court of Congolese and international judges to try those responsible for the crimes documented in the UN Mapping Report.
National Fund for Effective Reparations
Technical support to ensure that damages awarded to victims do not remain symbolic judgments but translate into real compensation.
Forensic Documentation & Evidence Archiving
Building case files that meet international standards for use by the competent courts, including the International Criminal Court (ICC).
2018 Nobel Prize Delegation
Oslo, Norway • With Dr Denis Mukwege
In December 2018, lawyer Justin BAHIRWE MUTABUNGA joined the delegation accompanying Dr Denis Mukwege to the Nobel Peace Prize ceremony in Oslo, carrying Congolese victims' call for restorative justice to the highest international level.
Our 10 Areas of Intervention at a Glance
See how our departments work together to cover the full continuum of legal protection.
Mobile Legal Aid
Continuous criminal and civil defence before the courts for people in need.
Protection of HRDs & Journalists
24/7 emergency line, temporary shelter and enforcement of the Sud-Kivu Provincial Edict.
ADR Legal Clinics
Mobile mediation hearings in Cirunga and Mudaka, with court approval of agreements.
72-Hour SGBV Protocol
Medical care, forensic medical certificate and filing as a civil party.
Transitional Justice & Reparations
Documenting mass crimes and advocating for a Special Criminal Court in the DRC.
Regular Prison Monitoring
Visits to places of detention, reduction of abusive pre-trial detention and improved prison hygiene.
Early Warning & Paralegals
A network of 260 paralegals raising the alarm on conflicts before they escalate within communities.
Mining Governance & CSR
Supporting communities living near mining sites in negotiating fair social agreements.
Radio Maendeleo Outreach
1 248 legal information programmes broadcast in Swahili, Mashi and French.
ECOSOC International Advocacy
Participation in UN UPR sessions, and written and oral statements to the ACHPR.
A Dispute or an Emergency on the Ground?
Our lawyers and paralegals are available to assist you in Bukavu, Kinshasa and Kabare Territory.
