Evaluating Post-Conflict Transitional Justice Mechanisms Through an Intersectional Feminist Lens in Sierra Leone

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 9, August 2026 | pp. 129–136

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001264

Article Type: Original Research Article

Title: Evaluating Post-Conflict Transitional Justice Mechanisms Through an Intersectional Feminist Lens in Sierra Leone

Names of Authors: Dr. Zainab O. Kamara¹

Authors’ Affiliations: ¹Department of Peace and Conflict Studies, Fourah Bay College, University of Sierra Leone, Freetown, Sierra Leone

Abstract:
This paper provides an empirical critique of post-conflict transitional justice mechanisms in Sierra Leone, evaluating how institutional reconciliation processes address gender-based war crimes. Utilizing an intersectional feminist analytical framework, the research examines historical records from the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) alongside 45 in-depth narrative interviews with female ex-combatants and war widows in rural districts. The findings reveal that formal transitional justice frameworks prioritized elite political stability over grassroots economic and bodily reparations for women. Although the TRC documented widespread sexual slavery and forced marriages, less than 15% of the recommended financial and medical reparations reached the victims due to institutional corruption and logistical barriers. The data demonstrate that female ex-combatants face double marginalization, experiencing severe community rejection because they violated traditional submissive gender norms during the conflict. Conversely, male ex-combatants received disproportionately higher reintegration allowances and formal technical training slots. The qualitative narratives show that rural widows remain stuck in extreme poverty because customary laws continue to deny them property inheritance rights, regardless of statutory declarations. The study concludes that top-down peacebuilding models reinforce pre-war patriarchal structures. We advocate for survivor-led reparations programs, permanent psychosocial support centers, and the alignment of customary land laws with statutory human rights frameworks.

Keywords: Transitional Justice, Post-Conflict Peacebuilding, Female Ex-Combatants, Reparations, Intersectionality, Sierra Leone

Manuscript Timeline: Received: February 18, 2026; Revised: May 20, 2026; Accepted: June 22, 2026; Published: August 31, 2026.

Citation: Kamara, Z. O. (2026). Evaluating Post-Conflict Transitional Justice Mechanisms Through an Intersectional Feminist Lens in Sierra Leone. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(9), 129–136. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001264

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