Transitional Justice: An Opportunity for Gender Equality?

Abstract: Why is it that countries with similar conflict history can differ severely in contemporary female governmental representation? In this study, a new model to find links between the transitional justice process and modern day governmental equality is presented and used in a comparative case study of Rwanda and Bosnia-Herzegovina. The model is based on a feminist reading of the theory of transitional justice and includes three research points: sexual violence, ethnic division and international involvement. By examining how the first two issues are approached in institutions, documents and policies during the transitional justice processes of the research cases and adding level of international involvement to the findings, the study finds strong links between measures taken in the transitional justice process and contemporary governmental gender equality.