Gender, Justice, and Truth Commissions

Sunday, September 3, 2006
Author: 
World Bank
Africa
Americas
Southern Africa
Western Africa
Southern Africa
Southern Africa
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Peru
Peru
South America

Truth commissions (TCs) are formed to investigatehuman rights violations that occur during armedconflict or under repressive regimes. When their workends, TCs report their findings, along with recommendationsfor reparations and prevention of futureabuses.By taking a gender-sensitive approach to itswork, a commission can differentiate between thecauses and consequences of human rights violationsfor men and women and design a gender-sensitiveprogram of reparations. A gender-sensitive approachalso serves to reveal that women's experience ofconflict, violence, and repression has typically beenignored in favor of male views and needs. Topicsoften dealt with by gender-sensitive exercises in truthand reconciliation include the recomposition offamilies from which the father/husband hasdisappeared, and the reestablishment of men's andwomen's roles when the conflict ends. A genderperspective in a TC's report can help bring aboutchanges in existing laws and patterns of behavior thathave contributed to inequality and discrimination.However, incorporating a gender approach to a TC'swork is relatively new. There is scant literature on thematter and few experiences around the world.

Document PDF: 

Gender Justice and Truth Commissions, World Bank, June 2006