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The Disappeared and Invisible

Revealing the Enduring Impact of Enforced Disappearances on Women

Authored by: Polly Dewhirst and Amrita Kapur

Categories: Human Rights, Humanitarian Emergencies
Sub-Categories: Sexual and Gender-Based Violence (SGBV), Sexual and Reproductive Health, Transitional Justice
Region: No Region
Year: 2015
Citation: Dewhirst, Polly and Amrita Kapur. The Disappeared and Invisible: Revealing the Enduring Impact of Enforced Disappearances on Women. New York: International Center for Transitional Justice, 2015.

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Executive Summary

This report canvasses 31 countries to see how the crime of enforced disappearance affects women as both the disappeared and the female relatives of the disappeared. It finds that across cultures, women face serious barriers to seeking relief due to discriminatory laws and practices. It reviews common strategies that transitional justice mechanisms use to deal with enforced disappearance and reflects on their ability to meet the specific needs of women. As a set of recommendations, it presents lessons from around the world about the need to consider women’s experiences, including when implementing measures like truth commissions, prosecutions, and reparations.