Carla Ferstman Closed Now

Carla Ferstman is a leading international lawyer and human rights advocate specializing in transitional justice, reparations for victims, and international accountability mechanisms. She is widely recognized for her pioneering work in developing global standards for victims’ rights and her contributions to shaping international legal policy on post-conflict justice and human rights redress.

A Canadian-born lawyer, Ferstman has spent her career working at the intersection of law, ethics, and human dignity. She served as the Director and later Chief Executive Officer of REDRESS, a prominent international human rights organization based in London dedicated to seeking justice and reparations for survivors of torture and other grave human rights abuses. Under her leadership, REDRESS became one of the world’s foremost advocates for victim-centered justice, influencing international jurisprudence on reparations before the International Criminal Court (ICC) and various UN mechanisms.

Ferstman has also contributed to the development of policy frameworks for transitional justice programs, advising governments, international organizations, and NGOs on legal and institutional reforms. Her research and advocacy emphasize the centrality of victims in transitional processes — not merely as passive recipients of justice but as active participants in truth-seeking, reconciliation, and institutional rebuilding.

She has served as a member of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture’s Board of Trustees, a consultant for the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), and a senior lecturer at the University of Essex School of Law, where she teaches international human rights and transitional justice.

Ferstman’s writings, including Reparations for Victims of Genocide, War Crimes and Crimes Against Humanity (Oxford University Press), are widely cited by scholars and practitioners alike. Her work continues to shape discourse on reparative justice, accountability, and victim participation in international criminal proceedings.