Twenty years after the appointment of its first judges, the African Court on Human and Peoples’ Rights faces important questions about judicial legitimacy, state resistance, and the implementation of its judgments. Reflecting on a recent workshop in Heidelberg, Dr Ingrid Roestenburg-Morgan examines the Court’s achievements, its influence on national jurisprudence, and the challenges of ensuring meaningful access to justice.

Reflecting on her participation in the SVRI Forum 2026 in Bangkok, Dr Ingrid Roestenburg-Morgan shares insights from international discussions on survivor participation, justice for survivors of sexual violence, conflict-related sexual violence, and emerging forms of gender-based violence. She highlights the importance of ethical research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and connecting research, policy and practice to strengthen responses to violence against women and children.

I am honoured to have been selected to present my research on survivor-centred justice at the SVRI Forum 2026 in Bangkok. The presentation explores what justice can become when survivors are placed at its heart — not only as recipients of justice, but as people who help shape it.