www.ntjwg.org.zw WATCH NPRC Can our NPRC Process learn something from International Standards? United Nations On Participation On Consultations “National consultations are a critical element of the human rights-based approach to transitional justice, founded on the principle that successful transitional justice programmes necessitate meaningful public participation, including the different voices of men and women. Public participation reveals the needs of communities affected by conflict or repressive rule, allowing States to craft an appropriate context-specific transitional justice programme. Moreover, the consultative process helps victims and other members of civil society to develop local ownership of the resulting programme. Although national consultations can shape the design of an overarching transitional justice strategy, they can also take place within the context of a specific mechanism, such as during the planning stages of a truth commission or reparations programme.” GUIDANCE NOTE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL, United Nations Approach to Transitional Justice, 2010 Participation of Victims “Special attention to key victim populations Where specific populations have been particularly affected by the violence, and especially where this violence is thought to be under reported or misunderstood, it is useful to direct the commission to pay particular attention to these victims or types of abuses. For example, some commissions have been directed to give special attention to abuses against women and children, or to victims of sexual abuse. The commission may need to establish special procedures for such populations, such as assuring children a greater degree of confidentiality - be they children who were victims or perpetrators of abuse - or setting up specific procedures for survivors of sexual abuse to take part in hearings. It is best for the terms of reference to guide the commission to give special attention to these or other special populations, but to let the commission itself take the specific operational decisions.” RULE-OF-LAW TOOLS FOR POST-CONFLICT STATES Truth commissions NPRC Watch, 2018 Watch,Issue Issue4,3,May March 2017 18 17