Conclusion

Abstract

Women and men experience political violence differently, peace is not absolute, and transitional justice is not guaranteed after conflict. As Villa-Vicencio (2011) asserts, transitional justice can be compared to walking a tightrope. A collectively undertaken exercise with public and individual repercussions, transitional justice grapples with the challenge of balancing truth, justice, and reconciliation — all while trying to strengthen a fragile peace. Ensuring gender-sensitivity in transitional justice, and — in doing so — ensuring the equal participation, representation, and inclusion of women and their experiences, is an intricate, multidimensional, and arduous process that requires stamina, political backing, local ownership, and mass participation. It is, however, an essential element for building democracy and transforming the lives of citizens who have endured extreme violence, human rights abuses, and political upheaval.