Transitional Justice

Transitional justice is a key pillar of sustained peace post-conflict. It is vital that women have both access and power in these processes for long-term peaceful transition. While there are many definitions of transitional justice, it can be summarized as such: “Transitional justice is a response to systematic or widespread violations of human rights. It seeks recognition for victims and promotion of possibilities for peace, reconciliation and democracy. Transitional justice is not a special form of justice, but justice adapted to societies transforming themselves after a period of pervasive human rights abuse. In some cases, these transformations happen suddenly; in others, they may take place over many decades”. One of the the central questions is: For which violations do we seek redress? While the literature in the field of transitional justice and gender focuses on women and sexual violence, it is important to approach this field by moving beyond sexual violence in transitional justice to include areas such as political and economic harm.