An Update on the Work of the Open Society Justice Initiative

In early December, Binaifer Nowrojee, president of the Open Society Foundations, and James A. Goldston, executive director of the Open Society Justice Initiative, relayed the following update on the work of the Justice Initiative to allies and partners:

"The significant operational reorganization that the Open Society Foundations has been engaged in over the past three years has now largely reached its conclusion.

As a result, we are pleased to share that the Board and leadership of Open Society have reaffirmed the importance of strategic litigation as a pathway to advancing open societies, human rights, and the rule of law.

To that end, OSF has recently committed to support the Justice Initiative to carry forward its important work over the next decade. This will include three components.

1. First, the Justice Initiative will continue its pathbreaking direct litigation, focusing on cases that provide justice to victims and survivors of transnational and international legal violations. 
2. Second, and notably, going forward, the Justice Initiative will become a grant-maker, supplementing its own litigation work by financing bold, high-impact litigation that seizes time-sensitive opportunities. 
3. Finally, the Justice Initiative will continue and expand our work as a convener, to create the spaces needed to share litigation approaches, learn from common challenges and spark legal action across borders.

Within the broad spectrum of Open Society Foundations’ work of protecting and promoting rights, equity and justice the Justice Initiative will specifically focus on three broad and permeable areas of litigation:

(i) international justice for the commission of grave crimes;

(ii) abuses of power by large economic actors that threaten open society values; and

(iii) inclusive democratic practice, with an eye to ensuring equal access and participation, defending guardrails and protecting independent voices.

In the course of 2025, we will share further information about each of these activities. For now, after a period of uncertainty and confusion among many, we look forward to renewed engagement in our joint struggle for human dignity, equality and rights through law.

Thank you for your continued partnership.

James A. Goldston
Executive Director
Open Society Justice Initiative

Binaifer Nowrojee
President
Open Society Foundations