During the last two days we have listened to many wise, and also moving words from all over the world. Truth, justice and reconciliation, the words give us both hope and scepticism.

Esther Mujawayo-Keiner moved us to tears when she told about her own experiences of a brutal war. Prime minister Göran Persson especially mentioned women, with Donnata as his example. Donnata who after all the horror in her life says that the support of the women of the former enemy proves that reconciliation is possible.
And President elect Xanana Gusmão wanted to share with us the successful process of democracy in East Timor.

In most of the statements we have been listening to, the word “women” has been important. And so it is indeed.

Let us look at the theatre after a war, a conflict. There are women who have lost their husbands, who have to take care of the outcome of their families, without any money. Women and girls who have been raped, victims of increasing domestic violence. Apparently men who are not anymore fighting the enemies, have to channel their aggressions on wife and children. We have the thousands of trafficked women, unfortunately partly as a service to peacekeeping operations, and all the young girls ending up in prostitution as there are no other options for them.

This sounds as a situation without hope, but fortunately that is not true. Women who have lost everything in life, home, husband, work, are still strong enough to fight for their future, ready to help others. Many women have told me: if there is anything good that came out from this war, that is “enough is enough”, now we will be a part of the reconstruction of our society, in the peace negotiations, the whole peace process, and in political decision making.

Why have I taken such a feministic approach?

There is a good reason for that – women are the ones to take the first steps of reconciliation, they want to know the truth, they of course want justice, but a future in peace for them and their children is the most important.

Therefore it is extremely important that women are present in the Truth commissions, that the new International Criminal Court will have several female judges appointed. It is even not a question of equality, it is a question of international credibility for the women who are expected to witness in the court.

After this part devoted to the women, I would like to turn to our distinguished panel.
We have to deal with the role of the International community, of course a tricky word – who and what is the international community?

There are many questions we hope can be answered during this last panel of the conference.

Can the international community deter from massive violations of human rights?
What will the role of the International Criminal Court be? Transforming the culture of impunity?

Are TRC:s and International Tribunals overlapping, are there problems when a country has both?

Could there be a future for a Global truth commission, proposed by president Martti Ahtisaari, who could deal with international cases like debt, neo-colonialism, historical problems like slavery, acts of global violence?

The concept is worked on, could be an interesting new element of justice.