This Article aims to identify the role gender and specifically women’s issues play within truth commissions, and how this influences truth-seeking processes within transitional justice frameworks. It seeks to understand how truth commissions can be gender-sensitive in their work and how outcomes for women can be enhanced. The Article further seeks to understand how these processes can play a part in dealing with both the specific effects of violence against women, but also on issues that affect discrimination against women, to ensure that these affect the society less moving forward. Focusing on the experience of truth commissions in five countries, South Africa, Guatemala, Peru, Sierra Leone, and Liberia, the analysis seeks to determine the extent to which truth commissions have included women’s needs and interests in their work. Apart from women’s direct participation as witnesses or commissioners within truth commissions, the research also seeks to understand the possibilities and implications of including gender-sensitivity within truth commission design, implementation, processes and outcomes. Pointing out how women’s needs and concerns have been included in truth commissions’ processes and activities is aimed at providing conclusions on their effects and what could possibly be done to increase positive outcomes for women in future processes.

Continue reading Understanding the Extent to which Truth Commissions Are Gender Sensitive and Promote Women’s Issues: Comparing and Contrasting these Truth Commission Roles in South Africa, Guatemala, Peru, Sierra Leone and Liberia