Europeans are proud of their commitment to justice, democracy, and human dignity. Yet
we must ask ourselves an important question: what kind of justice truly strengthens our
societies? Is it a system that focuses only on security and punishment, or one that also
repairs harm, restores trust, and builds stronger communities?
This is where restorative justice offers a powerful path forward.
Restorative justice invites victims, offenders, and communities to come together to address the harm caused by crime. It does not replace accountability; it deepens it. Instead of just serving a sentence, offenders face the consequences of their actions, acknowledge the harm they have caused, and take active steps to repair it. This process encourages responsibility, empathy, and change.
For victims, restorative justice offers something that our traditional justice systems too often fail to provide: a voice. Indeed, those who suffer harm must be heard. Too often, victims of crime feel that the justice system moves forward without them - focused on procedures, punishments, and institutions, while the voices of those most affected fade into the background.
If we truly believe in dignity, fairness, and human rights, then the rights and needs of
victims must stand at the heart of our approach to justice. That’s why we strive for the
right of access to restorative justice for all victims, who freely want to, in any time and in
any case. And that’s why we launched a manifesto recently to acknowledge access to
restorative justice as part of basic justice human rights.
Restorative justice places victims at the center of the process. It gives them the opportunity to speak about the harm they have experienced, to ask questions that often remain unanswered in traditional proceedings, and to take part - if they wish - in shaping how that harm can be repaired. Being heard can be a powerful step in the healing process. When victims are able to express the real human impact of crime, they regain a sense of agency that the crime may have taken from them. For many victims, this opportunity is about recognition, restoring safety, dignity, empowerment, and finding closure.
But the impact goes beyond individuals. When victims are recognised, supported, and empowered, we strengthen trust in our justice systems and in our democracies. People feel that institutions exist to protect them, to listen to them, and to stand with them in moments of vulnerability.
This is particularly important in a time when fear, anger, and division are growing across parts of our societies. When harm is recognised and addressed openly, it becomes harder for anger to be manipulated by those who seek to divide our societies and to weaken our democratic institutions..
Supporting victims is therefore not only a moral duty. It is also an investment in the resilience of our communities and in the strength of our democracies. People who feel unheard, excluded, or humiliated by the institutions that are meant to protect them become more vulnerable to extremist narratives. Punishment alone cannot solve this problem. We must also create spaces where conflict can be addressed through dialogue, understanding, and responsibility.
Restorative justice helps do exactly that. By bringing people voluntarily together in a safe space to listen to one another and confront the real human consequences of harm, it breaks the cycle of dehumanisation that fuels hate. It encourages empathy instead of resentment and responsibility instead of blame.
This approach also strengthens our democracies. When communities learn to resolve conflicts through dialogue and cooperation, they become less vulnerable to the politics of division. Restorative practices remind us that society is not built on enemies and scapegoats, but on shared responsibility and mutual respect.
When we truly listen to one another, stereotypes begin to fade. It becomes much harder to hate someone whose story you have heard, whose pain you understand, whose humanity you recognise. In this way, they help counter the narratives of fear and exclusion that often drive populism. Because ultimately, the strength of our societies does not come from how loudly we argue, but from how well we listen to one another.
This does not mean we will always agree. Democracies are built on debate and disagreement. But there is a profound difference between disagreement and dehumanisation. Dialogue ensures that even in moments of conflict, we continue to recognise each other’s human dignity.
A resilient Europe is not simply one that responds to crises. A resilient Europe is one that prevents violence, heals wounds, and empowers its citizens to resolve differences peacefully.
Restorative justice is not only a complementary process of the criminal justice system
but also a powerful justice approach to prevent harm and polarisation. By supporting
restorative justice programs in our schools, our communities, and our justice systems,
we strengthen the foundations of our societies. By investing in restorative justice, we
invest in a future where accountability and compassion work hand in hand. We create
safer neighborhoods, reduce reoffending, prevent radicalisation, support the healing of
trauma, and we build communities that are resilient in the face of fear.
Europe has always been at its strongest when it leads with its values. Justice that repairs
harm, restores dignity, and strengthens community is justice that reflects the very best
of who we are.
That’s why we pledge for making restorative justice a guiding principle and approach in
the upcoming Victims’ Rights Strategy. We don’t claim that it will solve all our societal
issues, but a European strategy can strengthen understanding on and access to
restorative justice by supportive legal and policy frameworks, by well-funded and high
quality practice organisations, by a strong multi-agency cooperation and by raising
awareness on this approach among professionals and the general public.
Let us work together to build a Europe where justice does not only punish wrongdoing,
but gives voice to victims, restores trust, prevents hate, strengthens democracy, and
makes our societies more resilient for generations to come.
