The Third Shift: The Highs and Lows for Women Gacaca Court Judges in Rwanda

Abstract

Following the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, women took on greater responsibilities as heads of households, lobbied for women’s rights, and entered political positions at unprecedented rates. This article analyses the mass nationwide movement of women into roles as gacaca court judges following the genocide, through interviews with 55 women judges. Specifically, we emphasize both the highs and lows of this experience as compared to their male counterparts. Reflecting on the positive aspects of their service, women judges underscored empowerment, personal growth, and their active participation in nation-building post genocide. Yet, judging had its drawbacks, including uncompensated work that functioned like a “third shift” in light of women’s rising responsibilities in the work force and an uneven household division of labour still dominated by patriarchal norms. Furthermore, women judges reported experiencing trauma from repeated exposure to accounts of genocidal rape and other violence. Despite these costs, women served from an overwhelming sense of duty to their communities and country and expressed pride for their contributions in the rebuilding of Rwanda in the wake of genocide.