The Gender Dimension of Transitional Justice Mechanisms

In this article the author explores the development in international law of crimes of gender-based violence, noting both its progress and its continued limitations. Turano focuses on the ability of transitional justice mechanisms, specifically, criminal prosecutions and truth commissions, to adequately redress harms experienced by women during times of conflict. She argues that while much progress has been made in prosecuting gender based crimes at the ICTY and the ICTR, a focus on crimes of sexual violence towards women ignores many other socio-economic harms that affect women during conflict. The author evaluates the strengths and weaknesses of transitional justice mechanisms in responding to the needs of women and suggests that truth commissions might offer a superior way of ensuring justice for women.