Introduction

In the aftermath of conflict, authoritarian rule, or mass human rights violations, societies embark on complex processes of transitional justice to address past abuses and prevent their recurrence. However, these mechanisms – encompassing truth commissions, reparations, prosecutions, and institutional reforms – have historically been gender-blind, often overlooking the distinct experiences of women, girls, men, and gender-diverse individuals, particularly regarding sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV). Without a deliberate gender justice lens, transitional justice efforts risk failing to fully acknowledge the scope of harm, perpetuating impunity for gender-specific crimes, and ultimately undermining sustainable peace and reconciliation. Integrating gender justice means ensuring that the unique harms suffered by all genders are recognized, survivors are prioritized, and mechanisms actively promote equality and non-discrimination in their design and implementation. This essential training course focuses on Gender Justice and Transitional Justice Mechanisms, equipping participants to build more inclusive and effective post-conflict societies.

This intensive training course is meticulously designed to equip legal professionals, human rights advocates, peacebuilders, policymakers, civil society organizations, and academic researchers with the theoretical understanding and practical tools necessary to integrate gender justice into transitional justice mechanisms. Participants will gain a deep understanding of the gendered nature of conflict-related abuses, explore various transitional justice pillars through a gender lens, and learn strategies for advocating for and implementing gender-responsive processes. The course will delve into topics such as sexual and gender-based violence as international crimes, survivor-centered approaches to truth-telling, gender-transformative reparations, vetting and institutional reform, and promoting women's participation in peace processes. By mastering the principles and methodologies of Gender Justice and Transitional Justice Mechanisms, participants will be empowered to contribute to more equitable, inclusive, and healing pathways toward sustainable peace and the prevention of future gender-based violence.

Duration: 5 Days

Target Audience

• Legal Professionals (Lawyers, Prosecutors, Judges)
• Human Rights Defenders and Advocates
• Peacebuilding Practitioners
• Government Officials (Justice, Foreign Affairs, Gender Ministries)
• Civil Society Organizations focused on Human Rights, Gender, and Peace
• Researchers and Academics in Transitional Justice, International Law, and Gender Studies
• Survivors' Advocates and Support Organizations
• UN Agency Staff working on Human Rights, Rule of Law, or Peacekeeping
• Policy Makers involved in Post-Conflict Reconstruction
• Mediators and Negotiators

Course Objectives

• Understand the fundamental concepts of transitional justice and gender justice.
• Analyze the gendered nature of human rights violations in conflict and authoritarian contexts.
• Comprehend the importance of a survivor-centered approach to SGBV in transitional justice.
• Learn to integrate gender considerations into truth-seeking processes and truth commissions.
• Acquire knowledge of various forms of reparations and how to design them to be gender-transformative.
• Explore strategies for ensuring accountability for sexual and gender-based violence through prosecutions.
• Understand the role of institutional reform (vetting, security sector reform) in promoting gender justice.
• Identify methods for promoting women's meaningful participation and leadership in transitional justice processes.
• Examine global best practices and successful case studies of gender-integrated transitional justice.
• Develop a practical action plan for advocating for or implementing gender-just transitional justice.
• Enhance advocacy and communication skills for justice, peace, and accountability for all genders.

Course Content

Module 1: Foundations of Transitional Justice and Gender Justice

• Defining transitional justice: pillars (truth, justice, reparations, institutional reform, guarantees of non-recurrence).
• Defining gender justice: moving beyond formal equality to substantive equality and addressing root causes.
• The intersection of gender and conflict: how conflict exacerbates pre-existing gender inequalities.
• Understanding the gendered patterns of violence and human rights abuses in conflict.
• The Women, Peace and Security (WPS) agenda and its relevance to transitional justice.

Module 2: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV) as International Crimes

• Legal definitions of SGBV under international criminal law (e.g., rape, sexual slavery, forced pregnancy, sexual torture).
• SGBV as war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide.
• Challenges in prosecuting SGBV: evidentiary issues, victim trauma, stigma, command responsibility.
• Jurisprudence from international and hybrid tribunals on SGBV.
• The importance of a survivor-centered approach to SGBV accountability.

Module 3: Gender in Truth-Seeking and Truth Commissions

• The purpose and methodology of truth commissions.
• Ensuring women's and diverse genders' voices are heard and included in truth-telling processes.
• Strategies for creating safe and confidential spaces for SGBV survivors to share their testimonies.
• Gender-sensitive investigation and documentation of SGBV and other gendered abuses.
• Analyzing truth commission reports from a gender perspective.

Module 4: Gender-Transformative Reparations Programs

• Understanding different forms of reparations: material (monetary, property) and symbolic (memorials, apologies).
• Designing reparations programs that address gender-specific harms and needs.
• Ensuring equitable access to reparations for women and gender-diverse survivors.
• Collective reparations and their potential to address systemic gender inequalities.
• Monitoring and evaluating the gender impact of reparations programs.

Module 5: Prosecutions and Accountability for Gender Crimes

• Challenges and opportunities in prosecuting SGBV at national and international levels.
• Gender-sensitive investigation and evidence collection for SGBV cases.
• Training for judges, prosecutors, and police on SGBV and victim protection.
• The role of witness protection and psychosocial support in judicial processes.
• Strategies for strengthening national legal frameworks to combat SGBV.

Module 6: Institutional Reform and Gender Justice

• Vetting processes with a gender lens: ensuring non-discrimination and accountability for GBV.
• Security Sector Reform (SSR) to integrate gender perspectives and prevent future SGBV.
• Justice Sector Reform: promoting gender balance in legal institutions, gender-sensitive training.
• Constitutional and legislative reforms to embed gender equality.
• Addressing discriminatory practices within institutions that contributed to past abuses.

Module 7: Women's Participation and Leadership in Transitional Justice

• The importance of women's meaningful participation in all stages of transitional justice.
• Addressing barriers to women's inclusion in peace negotiations and justice mechanisms.
• Strengthening the capacity of women's rights organizations and survivor groups.
• The role of women human rights defenders in post-conflict contexts.
• Case studies of successful women-led transitional justice initiatives.

Module 8: Intersectionality in Transitional Justice

• How intersecting identities (e.g., gender, age, disability, ethnicity, sexual orientation, socio-economic status) shape experiences of violence and access to justice.
• Addressing the specific needs and rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals in transitional justice.
• The experiences of child survivors and youth in transitional justice processes.
• Designing inclusive mechanisms that recognize multiple forms of marginalization.
• Data disaggregation and analysis to capture intersectional harms.

Module 9: Challenges, Innovations, and Future Directions

• Overcoming political will challenges and resistance to gender justice in transitional contexts.
• The role of traditional and informal justice mechanisms: engaging them from a gender perspective.
• Digital technologies and their use in documenting abuses and advocating for justice.
• The link between transitional justice, development, and sustainable peace.
• Building a long-term vision for comprehensive gender-just societies.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org  Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training