How do communities move from surviving to healing after mass violence and systemic injustice?
In 2024, Asia Justice and Rights (AJAR), in collaboration with CSVR (South Africa) and Dejusticia (Colombia) and supported by the Global Learning Hub for Transitional Justice and Reconciliation (led by Berghof Foundation, Germany), undertook a deep reflection of more than a decade of participatory documentation that imbued collective healing as a path toward justice.
Drawing on AJAR’s extensive participatory action research, particularly its use of the Stone and Flower manual with women survivors across Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and Myanmar, the reflection reaffirmed the vital role of trauma-informed storytelling, community empowerment, and intergenerational dialogue. The tools are essential for rebuilding dignity and reclaiming rights.
This reflection yielded two key publications: Transformative Approaches to Collective Healing, which captures AJAR’s decade of grassroots, survivor-led interventions, and The Power of We, a synthesis of shared learning from the Global Learning Hub partners. Together, these publications assert that healing is not only achievable but also a prerequisite for achieving peace, justice, and sustainable transformation.