The PROMUJER project: The participation of women in transitional justice processes in Latin America

Abstract

The PROMUJER Project investigates women’s political participation within processes of transitional justice in three post-conflict societies of Latin America: Peru, Colombia, and Guatemala. These countries have been marked by protracted internal armed conflicts and systematic gender-based violence, being currently engaged in complex processes of truth-seeking, reconciliation, and institutional reforms. Despite women’s central roles as victims, community organizers, and peacebuilders, their voices have often been marginalized in formal mechanisms of transitional justice. The PROMUJER Project addresses this gap by combining research and capacity building to promote women’s substantive inclusion in decision-making and the reconstruction of democratic institutions. This panel examines the contributions of PROMUJER’s work to understanding and transforming the gendered dimensions of transitional justice, through the lens of transitional justice officials and women leaders from the three contexts: What are the barriers that make it difficult for women to participate in political decision-making processes? Additionally, the panel analyzes how different political and historical trajectories shape opportunities for women’s participation. The panel will present findings on three key dimensions: (1) how transitional justice processes open or constrain political spaces for women; (2) how local women’s movements negotiate intersections of gender and ethnicity in demanding accountability and representation; and (3) how international human rights frameworks and feminist legal strategies can support sustainable transformations in governance. By situating women not merely as beneficiaries but as political actors in the reconstruction of post-conflict societies, the PROMUJER Project advances a transformative approach to justice and democracy. Panelists will discuss on the role of Truth Commissions (TCs) in Latin America in incorporating a gender perspective, the set of barriers still facing by women in accessing transitional justice and the strategies to foster their leadership and agency. The discussion will also stress the need for inclusive state policies that recognize women’s contributions to peacebuilding. Finally, this panel contributes to broader debates on gender, justice, and democratization in Latin America. It underscores that transitional justice is not only a matter of legal accountability but also a political process in which women’s participation redefines the meaning of rights, citizenship, and reconciliation. By sharing the experiences and lessons learned from PROMUJER’s work in Peru, Colombia, and Guatemala, the panel invites reflection on how feminist perspectives can transform the architecture of post-conflict governance and ensure that “never again” includes justice for women in all its dimensions.

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