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Abstract

Violent conflicts in the Democratic Republic of Congo have been devastating for civilians, and the human rights violations suffered by victims have long-lasting effects. The need for both short and long-term responses is crucial. However, current literature and policy recommendations focus too narrowly on short-term results, neglecting the underlying causes that threaten everyday civilian protection. To broaden the paradigm of protecting civilians, it is necessary to balance prioritization and sequencing of interventions so that the civilian protection system is not spread too thin. Research conducted between May and October 2021, based on 20 interviews with humanitarian and transitional justice actors in Kinshasa and victim groups in Goma, examines how transitional justice can recast three dimensions of the protection of civilians under the humanitarian toolkit: (1) accountability for affected civilians, (2) decolonization, and (3) community-based approaches towards a long-term goal.

Keywords

protection of civilians transitional justice guarantees of nonrecurrence

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Toward a Transitional Justice Approach to Long-Term Protection of Civilians in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC)

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Keywords

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