Victims’ Role and Participation in the Responses to Gross and Systematic Human Rights Violations in Ethiopia: Assessment of the Challenges and Prospects

Abstract

Aware of the gap in the existing legal and institutional frameworks, the FDRE Transitional Justice Policy adopted a victim-centered approach and further provides that enabling legal and institutional frameworks will be established. In this article, which adopts doctrinal and qualitative research methodologies, the author argues that there exist challenges and opportunities with respect to victims’ role and participation in the responses to gross and systematic human rights violations in Ethiopia. Lack of political will from the government, measures of crackdown against local human rights, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and activists, and the fact that the transitional justice process has recently stalled without sufficient explanation can be considered amongst the challenges. On the other hand, the engagement of local, diaspora-based, and international human rights Non-Governmental Organizations in espousing victims' rights and interests, the clear recognition of a victim-centered approach, and the attention given by the international community to the responses to gross and systematic human rights abuses including the transitional justice presented an opportunity that all relevant actors and stakeholders should effectively utilize to ensure victims' right to participation and effective remedy.