Tunisian Truth and Dignity Commission

The Centre for Applied Human Rights (CAHR) began collaborating with the Truth and Dignity Commission (TDC) during a three-year research project funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.

Funding was provided to embed two colleagues in the TDC to carry out research into sexual violence. A second research impact grant extended and deepened the significance of this research.

This research secured insights into what women survivors wanted by way of reparations for past abuses and particularly transformative reparations which seek to challenge the everyday structures of discrimination and violence – in small places close to home.

We then collaborated with the Women’s Committee in drafting its section of the TDC’s final report and associated recommendations.

A final element of the project was to engage civil society actors, donors and relevant government agencies to build support for the recommendations and their implementation.

The project represented an innovative approach to partnership with a state-led transitional justice mechanism.

"The Women’s Commission at TDC, under my leadership, has participated in a research collaboration with Professor Paul Gready and the Centre for Applied Human Rights for three years.

The research has focused on the very sensitive issue of sexual violations against women under previous authoritarian governments. Very little research of this kind has been conducted in Tunisia.

The collaboration with York has been invaluable in shaping and conducting the research, and will provide important material for our final report and recommendations.

Our aim is that transformative reparations and recommendations will address some of the needs of survivors, but also challenge the root causes of everyday sexual violence in Tunisia. The Centre’s support for our research, and in challenging political circumstances, has been invaluable.”

Ibtihel Abdellatif, Women’s Commissioner, Truth and Dignity Commission