Civil society and gender-based violence: expanding the horizons of transitional justice

The transitional justice field has thus far neglected the nature, scope and impacts of civil society initiatives for addressing gender-based violence. Using a feminist framework of analysis, I examine the role of civil society tribunals as a transitional justice mechanism. Despite their limitations, I argue that civil society tribunals can provide recognition for victim suffering, as well as challenge dominant narratives, explore the underlying individual and structural causes of violence and propose solutions to achieving non-violence and gender equality. Overall, I argue that transitional justice is a useful conceptual framework for examining civil society activity in addressing gender-based harms.