Three ideas around racial reconciliation

Concept from Williams Winters Institute for Racial Reconciliation at the University of Mississippi (UMS).

What it should do

Reconciliation involves three key ideas, the UMS notes.

Racial reconciliation should:

• Recognize that racism is systemic and institutionalized. It has major effects on:
  • Political engagement
  • Economic opportunity for marginalized people.
• Empower communities. This is done by building relationships and truth-telling
• Involve justice to help restore the community.

Read more about racial equity tools

Rethinking truth and reconciliation commissions

Lessons from Sierra Leone.

After its civil war, Sierra Leone established a Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC). This study looks at how effective the TRC was. 

Key factors to consider

Before creating a TRC, there are important points to consider.

Check for support

Before starting a TRC, make sure it's supported by:

• Non-government organizations
• Regular survivors.

Use community practices

TRCs work best when they use existing healing and social coexistence practices. If we discount and ignore such practices, we may hurt any form of social recovery.

Purpose of truth commission reports

Reports can help to talk about violence and repression. It can foster building stable national institutions.

Sierra Leone's Truth and Reconciliation Report set a good framework. If there's no popular support, explore others ways to make these reports.

Read Lessons from Sierra Leone report

What worked in South Africa

In South Africa, the TRC was key to the country's transition to full and free democracy. These resources share the process and how effective it has been.

Resources from South Africa's TRC

• Read South Africa TRC reports
• Look back at the TRC 20 years after