How Victim-Led Coalitions Drive National Accountability and Justice
A close look at how grassroots victim groups coordinate across diverse regions, mobilize international solidarity, and ensure the TRRC recommendations remain at the top of the legislative agenda.
Post-TRRC Unit · Ministry of Justice, The Gambia
Throughout transitional justice history worldwide, meaningful reforms rarely happen through government goodwill alone. They are driven by the tireless persistence of victim-led associations demanding truth, justice, and non-recurrence.
In The Gambia, the formation of the Association of Victim-Led Organisations (AVLO) in 2024 marked a pivotal milestone. By uniting diverse survivor groups into a single cohesive advocacy bloc, AVLO has ensured that victim priorities cannot be sidelined by competing political interests.
From legislative lobbying on the Victims Reparations Act to monitoring trial preparations at the Special Criminal Division, survivor leaders attend every public consultation, parliamentary committee hearing, and civil society forum.
The Post-TRRC Unit recognizes AVLO as an essential partner in governance. An open, responsive feedback loop between the state and survivor coalitions is the strongest guarantee that implementation remains faithful to victim needs.
