Beyond money: sexual and gender-based violence and reparations in the Gambian transitional justice process

Abstract

During former President Yahya Jammeh's regime (1994-2017), state actors, including Jammeh himself, systematically used sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) as a tool of repression. The Truth, Reconciliation and Reparations Commission documented these abuses and amplified survivors' testimonies. Yet, reparations have largely been limited to financial compensation, neglecting survivors' urgent long-term needs, such as healthcare, psychosocial support and recognition. The Gambia's newly established Reparations Commission presents a critical opportunity to fulfil these outstanding obligations. To achieve national and international commitments, the government must prioritise SGBV survivors through comprehensive, urgent, non-financial reparations that restore dignity and confront the structural inequalities that enabled the violations. This policy paper calls for a survivor-centred, comprehensive approach to reparations that delivers urgent, non-financial reparations, including healthcare, psychosocial support and legal protection. Such measures affirm survivors' humanity, break down deep-rooted inequalities and set a precedent for transformative justice across Africa.