UN Expert Urges States to Tackle Inequality and Injustice to Build Lasting Peace

Introduction: Inequality and Injustice at the Heart of Conflict

The roots of violence often run far deeper than armed clashes and political disputes — they lie in inequality, exclusion, and structural injustice. That was the central message delivered by Bernard Duhaime, the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, in his latest report to the UN General Assembly.

Duhaime warned that sustainable peace cannot be achieved without confronting the socioeconomic and cultural inequalities that fuel and sustain cycles of conflict. "Now is the time for States to confront structural injustices to build lasting peace," he said. His report challenges governments and transitional justice systems to move beyond a narrow focus on civil and political rights, and to address the economic, social, and cultural dimensions of violence that are too often overlooked.

The Deeper Wounds: Structural Inequality as a Driver of Conflict

The Special Rapporteur's report highlights that societies emerging from conflict or authoritarian rule must reckon not only with atrocities such as extrajudicial killings, torture, and disappearances, but also with longstanding injustices that have deprived communities of food, healthcare, education, and livelihoods.

"Too often, transitional justice focuses on the right to life and physical integrity," Duhaime said. "But in most conflicts, gross violations of economic, social, and cultural rights lie at the very root of violence."

He pointed to patterns of systemic exclusion — from the destruction of food distribution networks and attacks on hospitals to the denial of education for women and girls — as manifestations of deeper societal inequities that perpetuate resentment, instability, and renewed violence.

These structural violations, he noted, are not incidental to conflict — they are key mechanisms through which oppression is maintained. Ignoring them in post-conflict reconstruction risks reproducing the same conditions that led to violence in the first place.

The Case for a Holistic Transitional Justice Framework

Duhaime's report calls for a paradigm shift in transitional justice, one that integrates economic, social, and cultural rights into every stage of post-conflict recovery. Transitional justice, as defined by the UN, includes a range of measures — such as truth-seeking, reparations, prosecutions, institutional reform, and guarantees of non-recurrence — designed to address legacies of human rights abuses.

However, Duhaime emphasized that these mechanisms often remain incomplete because they fail to address poverty, marginalization, and inequality — factors that directly shape the lived experience of victims. "Transitional justice must address gross violations of economic, social and cultural rights with the same seriousness as violations of civil and political rights if it is to be effective," he stressed.

The Special Rapporteur commended countries that have begun to integrate social and economic rights into their transitional processes. These include initiatives to provide land restitution, expand healthcare access, and ensure gender equality in reconstruction planning. Yet, he cautioned, such efforts remain fragmented and insufficient without broader structural reform.

Truth, Accountability, and Inclusion: Core Pillars for Change

According to Duhaime, truth commissions and related bodies must be empowered and resourced to investigate a wider range of abuses — not just those involving violence, but also those affecting economic opportunity, environmental security, and cultural rights.

He urged States to bring in multidisciplinary expertise — including economists, sociologists, environmental scientists, and public health professionals — to ensure comprehensive documentation and redress. "Understanding the social and economic roots of conflict requires going beyond traditional legal frameworks," Duhaime said.

Moreover, he called for stronger victim participation, particularly from women, Indigenous communities, and marginalized groups who are often excluded from transitional justice processes. "Without victim participation, transitional justice risks failing those it aims to serve," he said.

Victims' engagement, he emphasized, should not be tokenistic. It must be meaningful and sustained, ensuring that their voices shape both the process and the outcomes of transitional justice mechanisms.

A Call for Structural Transformation and Justice

Duhaime's report situates transitional justice within the broader struggle for social transformation. Addressing historical injustices, he argued, is not only about recognizing past suffering but also about transforming the power structures that make such abuses possible.

He warned that neglecting socioeconomic grievances can undermine fragile peace processes, leading to disillusionment and renewed conflict. To prevent this, he called for States to embed equality, inclusion, and human dignity into their governance systems and national development agendas.

"Transitional justice is not just about the past," Duhaime reminded the Assembly. "It is about building a future rooted in dignity, equality, and justice for all."

Building Peace from the Ground Up

Bernard Duhaime's appeal comes at a moment of rising global inequality and social unrest, as many societies grapple with the long-term impacts of conflict, colonialism, and authoritarianism. His report underscores that reconciliation without justice is fragile, and peace without inclusion is unsustainable.

By calling for a holistic, rights-based approach to transitional justice — one that includes the social, economic, and cultural dimensions of human dignity — the UN expert reaffirms that peace is not merely the absence of war, but the presence of fairness, opportunity, and respect for every individual's humanity.

As Duhaime concluded, "Only by confronting structural inequality can societies truly heal and ensure that violence does not recur."