Washington, DC, November 14, 2025 – Center for Civilians in Conflict (CIVIC) launched the Marla Ruzicka Project for Amends and Redress today, which will advance support and recognition for civilians harmed by US military operations, continuing the mission of CIVIC’s founder.
The Marla Project is emblematic of CIVIC’s commitment to putting civilians first,” said Hichem Khadhraoui, Executive Director at CIVIC. “Marla Ruzicka founded CIVIC on the idea that civilians are not just passive victims of war, but people with agency who deserve acknowledgement, assistance, and pathways to healing. We are honored to continue this work with support from those who knew and loved Marla.
In keeping with Ruzicka’s vision, the Marla Project will serve as a new hub for advocacy on behalf of civilians seeking amends from the US military.
The Marla Project builds on a three-year partnership between CIVIC and the Zomia Center. From 2022-2025, Zomia’s Redress Program piloted a groundbreaking representation model for civilian victims and survivors of US air wars, combining a dedicated advocate in the US with individualized field team support for over thirty families. CIVIC will formalize this model through the Marla Project, in continued partnership with Zomia. The Marla Project will also deepen support for the broader ecosystem of organizations representing civilians harmed in US operations.
Marla Ruzicka showed the world that civilians can move governments to recognize the human costs of war,” said Joanna Naples-Mitchell, JD, Lead Counsel, Marla Project, who cofounded and led Zomia’s Redress Program. “It is in this spirit that we continue her efforts. We can trace the gains we have achieved so far to the tenacity of the families we serve, the dedication of our field teams, and the strength of the partnerships we’ve built.
CIVIC was founded in 2003 by Marla Ruzicka, a dedicated humanitarian who led early efforts to document civilian harm from US operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. Going door to door, she advocated persistently for recognition and compensation for affected families, often at great personal risk. Marla continued this work until her death in 2005, when she and CIVIC colleague Faiz Ali Salim were killed in a car bomb attack in Iraq.
In the years since Marla’s passing, CIVIC has worked in the US and around the world to advocate for stronger policies to prevent and respond to civilian harm,” said Annie Shiel, US Program Director at CIVIC. “With the Marla Project, we are bringing this work home, coordinating advocacy on behalf of individual families just as Marla once did.
For additional information or media inquiries, please contact:
- CIVIC’s Global Media Team: [email protected]
Spokespersons available for interviews in English, Spanish, French, and Arabic
