Brigitte Chelebian
Executive Director – Justice Without Frontiers
"To achieve a more just society where perpetrators are held accountable and victims receive justice, both men and women have an obligation to break the silence.”
Brigitte Chelebian is an Attorney at Law and the Executive Director/Founder of the organization Justice Without Frontiers (JWF), which works towards the advancement of international criminal justice– the first organization of its kind in Lebanon. In a part of the world with little support for the Rome Statute system, JWF campaigns for the ratification and implementation of the Statute within national laws, including promotion of the rights of women who are victims of armed conflict and sexual violence.
As Founder of Justicie Without Frontiers, Brigitte has led pioneering work in Lebanon and the wider Middle East to promote the rights of atrocity victims, including women and children affected by sexual violence in conflict, build stronger national and regional institutions to protect against these crimes, and create access to legal support for victims.
‘‘I believe that we must have the courage to address situations that few have the courage to address: ending impunity; violence against women; sexual and genderbased crimes in conflict; access to justice and legal information; and investigating and prosecuting high level perpetrators. To achieve a more just society where perpetrators are held accountable and victims receive justice, both men and women have an obligation to break the silence.”
Brigitte’s work on international justice took her before the Assembly of States Parties to the Rome Statute in 2016 to give voice to victims of escalating conflict in the Middle East. She has also been involved in projects surrounding transitional justice mechanisms like the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and others.
As part of JWF’s Women's Access to Justice project, JWF offers free legal consultation and support to women and girls who have become victims of domestic violence. The program has played an active role in advocating for stronger national and regional protection for victims of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) . Initiatives like trainings for security officers on SGBV-related issues, trafficking and refugee rights have made JWF a leader in bringing international justice to the Middle East.
With Brigitte at the helm, JWF maintains active partnerships with political and religious leaders, national security sectors, lawyers and civil society, enabling the international community to take better informed and inclusive efforts to end impunity for atrocities in the region.
