Transitional justice

Transitional justice consists of judicial and non-judicial measures implemented in order to redress legacies of human rights abuses. Such measures 'include criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations programs, and various kinds of institutional reforms'. Transitional justice is enacted at a point of political transition from violence and repression to societal stability (or at times years later) and it is informed by a society’s desire to rebuild social trust, repair a fractured justice system, and build a democratic system of governance. The core value of transitional justice is the very notion of justice—which does not necessarily mean criminal justice. This notion and the political transformation, such as regime change or transition from conflict are thus linked toward a more peaceful, certain, and democratic future.Transitional justice represents a set of such extraordinary responses, often delivered during critical junctures such as transitions from war to peace or from authoritarianism to democracy. Transitional justice is meant to both redress gross violations and identify avenues to address the structural causes of those violations, such as gender inequality and social exclusion. While transitional justice includes criminal accountability, it is undergirded by a broader understanding of justice that takes into account a range of victim needs and societal priorities. Transitional justice is necessary so that the SDGs do not leave behind communities in countries that have experienced massive rights violations. Transitional justice consists of judicial and non-judicial measures implemented in order to redress legacies of human rights abuses. Such measures 'include criminal prosecutions, truth commissions, reparations programs, and various kinds of institutional reforms'. Transitional justice is enacted at a point of political transition from violence and repression to societal stability (or at times years later) and it is informed by a society’s desire to rebuild social trust, repair a fractured justice system, and build a democratic system of governance. The core value of transitional justice is the very notion of justice—which does not necessarily mean criminal justice. This notion and the political transformation, such as regime change or transition from conflict are thus linked toward a more peaceful, certain, and democratic future.