Gacaca Courts

Gacaca Courts were community-based tribunals established in Rwanda after the 1994 genocide, where victims and perpetrators could confront each other. Their purpose was to promote justice, accountability, and reconciliation by allowing local communities to participate in the legal process. Ordinary citizens served as judges, hearing cases and determining punishment for those accused of genocide-related crimes. This approach aimed to address the overwhelming number of cases that traditional courts could not handle, and to rebuild trust within communities. The Gacaca system emphasized dialogue, healing, and restoring social cohesion in a society deeply affected by trauma and division.