Transitional Justice and Reconciliation.

Source: (-0001) Cambridge, MA: Inclusive Security: Women Waging Peace. Downloaded 12 August 2005.

Following a period of violent conflict or change from a repressive regime to a new society, many questions and issues of transitional justice emerge. These can be particularly acute when neighbors and even family members who opposed each other must resettle together in their communities. The pursuit of justice and reconciliation in these contexts is complex and even ambiguous in certain ways. Yet however difficult it may be, some means must be found to acknowledge crimes committed during the period or periods of violence. With respect to women, particular attention has been given to sex-based crimes in such situations. At the same time, other wrongs experienced by women must also be recognized and addressed. These may include, for example, displacement or loss of property. With all of this in mind, the authors of this paper explore key factors underlying transitional justice processes, with special focus on the role of women in such processes.