Gender equality in the context of transitional justice in DRC: state of play of legal reforms

Abstract

The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has experienced violents conflits since the mid of 1990s. From 1996 to date, the country is grappling with more than 250 armed groups located in its eastern part. The same dynamics becomes is nascent in the western part. The war that occurred from 1998 to 2003 has been described as the deadliest conflict after the World Word II. To date, the activism of armed groups increased the number of victims whose majority is constituted by women and children in the provinces of North-Kivu, South-Kivu and Ituri. The transitional justice process entrenched in 2003 with the creation of the truth and reconciliation commission to deal with the war legacy has not yielded expected results. The TRC was abruptly removed form the 2006 constitution as an institution to support democracy. In this jeopardy, women and children are still importantly affected: displacement, rapes and other human rights violations alike. How does one address issues of women victims within a society dominated by the patriarchy?