The Gambian Government and Popular Participation in Post-TRRC Transitional Justice
- Posted on
- In Policy, Publications
- by Jasmina Brankovic, Simon Robins, Fatou Baldeh and Lena Houma
The government of Gambia has committed to implementing the recommendations of the Truth, Reconciliation, and Reparations Commission (TRRC) through further transitional justice measures. Three decades of experience in Africa show that a transitional justice process as a whole is more likely to be effective if it is rooted in popular participation, particularly of victims/survivors and communities affected by violence.
This policy brief is written for the Steering Committee leading the implementation process and for the Ministry of Justice and other government ministries and agencies supporting implementation efforts. The brief provides actionable guidance on how to ensure post-TRRC transitional justice measures – including reparations, justice and accountability, and institutional reforms – are inclusive and participatory.
In line with the African Union Transitional Justice Policy, the brief emphasizes the value of both formal, state-run measures and non-formal, civil society-led measures, especially in combination. It is based on lessons from the TRRC's efforts to promote participation, as well as those of non-formal measures like the Listening Circles created by Women in Liberation and Leadership.
For more information and publications on mainstreaming popular participation in transitional justice, click here.
The Gambian Government and Popular Participation in Post-TRRC Transitional Justice
Dr. Jasmina Brankovic is the Senior Research Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. With a focus on participatory methods, Jasmina conducts research on inequality and socioeconomic transformation, climate justice, narrative change, and civil society strategies in transitional contexts. Her publications include 'Violence, Inequality and Transformation: Apartheid Survivors on South Africa's Ongoing Transition' (2020), 'The Global Climate Regime and Transitional Justice' (2018) and 'Advocating Transitional Justice in Africa: The Role of Civil Society' (2018). She has a PhD in Political Science from the University of Marburg (Centre for Conflict Studies).
Simon Robins
Dr. Simon Robins is a Research Advisor to the Red Cross Red Crescent Missing Persons Centre, hosted by the International Committee of the Red Cross, and a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Applied Human Rights at the University of York.
Fatou Baldeh
Fatou Baldeh is the Founder and CEO of Women in Liberation and Leadership, The Gambia.
Lena Houma
Lena Houma is a Programme Manager at Women in Liberation and Leadership, The Gambia.
