Seeing the role of transitional justice as an area of contestation, this book focuses on the principle of equality guaranteed in the access to transitional justice mechanisms. By raising women’s experiences in dealing with the law and policies as well as the implications of community and family practices during post-conflict situations, the book shows how these mechanisms may have been implemented mechanically, without considering the different intersections of discrimination, the public and private divides that exist in the local context or the stereotypes and values of international and national actors.
The book argues that without unpacking the barriers in the administration of transitional justice, the different mechanisms that are implemented in a post-conflict situation may set a higher threshold for the participation of women. Moreover, by taking into account women’s perceptions of justice, it further argues that scholars have paid insufficient attention to the welfare structures that are produced after a conflict, particularly the pensions of veterans. Going beyond the focus on sexual violence, a relationship between the violations and post-conflict economic justice may have longer-term consequences for women since it perpetuates their inequality and lack of recognition in times of peace. The use of transitional justice may thus exacerbate the invisibility of and discrimination against certain sections of the population.
Inspired by the work of Hannah Arendt and based on extensive field research in Timor-Leste, the book has larger implications for the overarching debate on the social consequences of transitional justice.
By:
Noemí Pérez Vásquez
Imprint: Hart Publishing
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 234mm,
Width: 156mm,
Spine: 25mm
Weight: 454g
ISBN: 9781509957675
ISBN 10: 1509957677
Pages: 320
Publication Date: 28 December 2023
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
1. Introduction: ‘The Blind Letters’ I. Transitional Justice: A Brief Overview II. Women’s Rights within Transitional Justice III. A Feminist Research IV. Ethics of the Research Undertaken V. Structure 2. Transitional Justice in Timor-Leste: ‘Loron Loron, Kalan Kalan’ I. The Background: History of Timor-Leste II. International Legal Framework III. Human Rights Violations IV. On Justice Received V. Access to Transitional Justice VI. Women’s Participation in Transitional Justice VII. Barriers Faced by Women When They Access Transitional Justice VIII. Conclusions 3. Silence and Memory: ‘They are Waiting for Us to Die’ I. Women’s Silence and Lack of Recognition after a Conflict II. On Women’s Silence in Timor-Leste III. On Memory: Hyper-Masculinisation of Society and National Identity IV. The Continuum of Violations against Women V. What Women Want VI. Conclusions 4. Women and Prosecution: ‘We Captured the Dogs But Not the Owners of the Dogs’ I. Prosecutions in Timor-Leste II. The Legislation III. Accounts of Crimes Committed against Women IV. The Public: The Investigations V. The Public: The Proceedings VI. The Private Interference VII. Sentences, Women and the Follow-Up VIII. Conclusions 5. Women, Truth and Reconciliation: ‘Here Comes the Victim’ I. The CAVR II. Focus of the CAVR on Women III. The CTF and its Focus on Women IV. Women’s Participation V. Different Reconciliation Discourses VI. Women’s Healing and the Understanding of Truth VII. Women’s Recognition and Political Follow-Up VIII. Conclusions 6. Women’s Access to Reparations: ‘Men Were the Most Affected’ I. The Complexity of Reparations II. Reparations Provided by the UN, Including the Special Panels III. Reparations Provided by the Truth Commissions IV. Reparations Established in the Chega! Report V. Reparations Provided by the Timorese State VI. The Way Forward VII. Conclusions 7. Women’s Access to Post-conflict Benefits: ‘Because I Did Not Hold a Gun’ I. DDR, Veterans’ Pensions and the Exclusion of Women II. The Veterans’ Pensions in Timor-Leste III. The Veterans’ Pension Law and Discrimination against Women IV. The Implementation: Local Committees of Veterans and the Private Dynamics V. Getting More Private: The Pensions within the Family VI. (Un)Expected Effects of the Timorese Veterans’ Pensions VII. The Limits of the Discourse on Rights VIII. Conclusions 8. Conclusions: ‘So it Does Not Happen Again’
Noemí Pérez Vásquez is a Legal Officer at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights in Colombia.
Reviews for Women’s Access to Transitional Justice in Timor-Leste: The Blind Letters
A superb subtle analysis of transnational justice of women in Timor-Leste that combines detailed ethnological investigation with sophisticated theoretical analysis. A major contribution to the study of the complexities of the theory and practice of transnational justice. * Richard J Bernstein, New School for Social Research * Based on extensive fieldwork that involved interviewing women and policy-makers, this book offers innovative insights on the design and implementation of transitional justice in Timor-Leste (East Timor). Dr Perez Vasquez offers a masterful and critical overview of transitional justice laws and policies and the extent to which these are impacted by community and family relationships. A unique guide for academics and policy-makers wanting to understand the unfolding of transitional justice in local contexts as well as women's experiences in conflict and post-conflict situations. * Gentian Zyberi, Norwegian Centre for Human Rights, University of Oslo *
