CSVR |

AFRICAN UNION TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE POLICY IMPLEMENTATION GUIDANCE: THE GAMBIA

Imran Darboe — Wed, 30 Apr 2025 09:05:35 +0000

The Gambia is making significant strides in its transitional justice process following the successful completion of the Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission (TRRC). With a dedicated post-TRRC Unit established within the Ministry of Justice, the government is actively working to implement the TRRC's recommendations, laying a solid foundation for justice and reconciliation. Although challenges remain, there is a strong commitment to fostering social cohesion and addressing the needs of victims through reparations and institutional reforms. By aligning its efforts with the African Union Transitional Justice Policy, The Gambia has the potential to emerge as a model for effective transitional justice in Africa, paving the way for a more equitable and democratic future.

801051 CSVR GIZ-APSA AUTJP The Gambia Policy Brief

BEYOND RHETORIC: INTEGRATING AFRICAN TRADITIONAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS INTO TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROCESSES

Dr. Tadesse Metekia — Fri, 25 Apr 2025 11:49:30 +0000

The policy brief emphasizes the importance of integrating African traditional justice mechanisms into transitional justice processes to enhance rule-of-law and peace-building efforts across the continent. It highlights the recognition of these mechanisms in various countries, where they operate alongside formal judicial systems to address disputes and promote reconciliation, especially in post-conflict contexts. Despite their potential, the brief identifies challenges such as aligning traditional practices with international human rights standards and ensuring inclusivity. It advocates for a hybrid approach where traditional and formal justice systems complement each other, recommending specific actions for national governments, international justice institutions, and the African Union to facilitate this integration effectively.

801043 CSVR TJ mechanisms into TJ processes WEB

Seeking Reconciliation and Reintegration: Assessment of a Pilot Restorative Justice Mediation Project

Clara Ramírez Barat and Hugo van der Merwe — Tue, 01 Feb 2005 00:00:00 +0000

With the aim of addressing the Post-Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) need for both participants and TRC officials to engage in personal and community dialogues in order to bring about real reconciliation, CSVR designed a pilot restorative justice programme to facilitate dialogue between ex-combatants, survivors and their communities. The project drew from restorative justice programmes developed for criminal cases, but adapted its approach to engage with the specific context of politically motivated violations of human rights. The subsequent document is an assessment of that project.

seekingreconciliation

Victims' Perspectives About the Human Rights Violations Hearings

Ruth Picker — Tue, 04 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0000

What is justice? Is it something absolute that thus requires absolute and unconditional pursuit? How much truth can a society bear and afford? This research report seeks to contribute to answering these question by evaluating the public Human Rights Violations (HRV) hearings. The aim of this study was to explore the experience of victims who testified at the public hearings of the Human Rights Violations Committee, their evaluation of their participation and its long-term impact on their lives. It seeks to engage both immediate reactions at the time of the hearing with reflections on how deponents view the experience within the broader context of interaction with the TRC.

victimsperspectivshearings

Reconciliation Through Amnesty? Amnesty Applicants' Views of the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Therese Abrahamsen and Hugo van der Merwe — Tue, 04 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0000

The subsequent report aims both to inform further intervention with ex-combatants in South Africa and to provide some insights that may guide other international efforts to engage perpetrators of human rights abuses in conditional amnesties, truth seeking, restorative justice and reconciliation processes.

reconciliationthroughamnesty

Key Resources on Reparations in Southern Africa

Christopher J. Colvin — Mon, 03 Jan 2005 00:00:00 +0000

The following Bibliography is a part of research that forms part of a study "Southern Africa Reconciliation Project" funded by the International Development Research Centre. It was a collaborative project involving CSVR (South Africa), the Centre for Human Rights and Rehabilitation (Malawi), the National Society for Human Rights (Namibia), Amani Trust (Zimbabwe) and Justa Paz (Mozambique).

keyresourcesonreparations