Choice Reviews Online · 2007 · 151 citations · 0 references
LawGender StudiesHuman Rights LawHuman RightsTransitional JusticeWomen's StudiesGender DiscriminationGender EqualityInternational Human Rights LawReparations PolicyViolence Against WomenWomen's ActivismGender Of VictimsGender-responsive ReparationsHuman Rights Violations ReparationsReparations For ViolationsTransitional Justice InstitutionsTransitional Justice MechanismsTransitional Justice ReparationsTruth Commission Testimony
Women affected by human rights violations face double marginalization and their testimony is often overlooked, yet reparations rarely address their needs. The study argues that incorporating a gender perspective into reparations programs will better serve female victims and their families. The joint project examines gendered reparations across Guatemala, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Timor‑Leste, drawing on experts from law, truth commissions, and NGOs. The project is titled “What Happened to the Women?”.
What happens to women whose lives are affected by human rights violations? What happens to their testimony in court or in front of a truth commission? Women face a double marginalization under authoritarian regimes and during and after violent conflicts. Yet reparations programs are rarely designed to address the needs of women victims. What Happened to the Women? Gender and Reparations for Human Rights Violations emphasizes the necessity of a gender dimension in reparations programs to improve their handling of female victims and their families. A joint project of the International Center for Transitional Justice and Canada's International Development Research Centre, What Happened to the Women? includes studies of gender and reparations policies in Guatemala, Peru, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, South Africa, and Timor-Leste. Contributors represent a wide range of fields related to transitional justice and include international human rights lawyers, members of truth and reconciliation commissions, and NGO representatives.