Foreword by the Founder

“IustitiaLab was born from the front-lines of human struggle, where justice means life itself”

IustitiaLab was born out of eyewitness experiences in war-torn corners of the world – from the Levant and Maghreb to Africa and beyond – where survival and dignity, not lofty ideals, defined what justice meant.

I remember driving through Baghdad in a humanitarian convoy, passing kilometers-long queues of cars. At first, I thought people were waiting for food supplies. But they were waiting for gasoline – for days, in a country where oil lies just beneath the surface, abundant and easy to drill. This was following the stepping in of U.S. forces, when daily life was marked by shortages, insecurity, and the “paradox of scarcity” in a land of plenty.

I remember mothers in the Democratic Republic of Congo holding their babies after soldiers had turned guns into weapons of sexual violence. The sheer brutality of what survivors endured was beyond words – a level of atrocity that continues to haunt all who bore witness.

I remember meeting young men in Guantánamo who had become fighters not out of conviction, but because joining a jihadist group was the only path to survival and a wage.

And I remember Gaza. When I served there, before the most recent war, I saw people rise like a phoenix from rubble and dust, rebuilding their lives again and again. But nothing compares to the genocide taking place there now. Nothing can make the loss of civilian lives just. No court ruling will ever right the wrong. History reminds us, once again, that prevention and justice are the foundations of peace and humanity.

These moments taught me that justice is not an ideal – it is a lifeline. It is about how people live, breathe, and survive every day. And it is fragile, yet essential. At IustitiaLab, we defend it because freedom, equality, and the planet depend on it.

We see justice in action – in a woman’s right to speak without fear, a community’s access to clean water, a refugee rebuilding home, and in the protection of land and forests that sustain us all. These are not separate causes: gender, social, and environmental justice are one struggle.

Our work is to turn conviction into change – to face hard truths, act on evidence, and bring in voices too often ignored. We strive to make justice tangible: safety from violence, dignity restored, opportunity renewed, and a livable planet for all.

We are a small but dedicated team of five, bringing together expertise in peace and conflict, humanitarian protection, human rights investigations, political psychology, environmental policy, and public health – alongside the storytelling skills of a video-grapher who ensures that voices from the margins are seen and heard. Together, we translate analysis and evidence into action, pairing technical expertise with human stories to push for justice where it is most needed.

This is the responsibility we carry. And this is the invitation I extend to you.

— Maja Petrović, Founder, IustitiaLab