Yasmin Sooka Closed Now

Yasmin Sooka is a globally respected human rights lawyer and transitional justice leader, best known for her pivotal role in truth commissions and post-conflict accountability processes. Born and raised in South Africa, Sooka emerged as a fearless advocate for justice during the apartheid era, dedicating her career to advancing truth, reconciliation, and the protection of victims’ rights.

She gained international prominence as a Commissioner on South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), chaired by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in the 1990s. Her work on the TRC helped shape one of the most influential transitional justice mechanisms in history, providing a model for other societies confronting legacies of mass human rights abuses.

Following her work in South Africa, Sooka became a leading figure in transitional justice globally. She chaired the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Sierra Leone (2000–2004), where she oversaw groundbreaking initiatives to document wartime atrocities, promote reconciliation, and recommend reparations for victims of civil war.

Beyond truth commissions, Sooka has served in several high-level UN roles, including as a member of the UN Panel of Experts on Accountability in Sri Lanka (2010–2011) and Chair of the UN Commission on Human Rights in South Sudan (2016–present). In these positions, she has pushed for accountability, international justice, and victim-centered approaches in contexts of ongoing conflict.

She is also the Executive Director of the Foundation for Human Rights in South Africa, where she continues to promote access to justice, equality, and constitutional rights. Her influence extends into policy, advocacy, and grassroots work, combining legal expertise with a deep moral commitment to survivors of human rights abuses.

Yasmin Sooka’s career embodies the principles of transitional justice: truth, accountability, reparations, and guarantees of non-recurrence. Her leadership continues to shape global efforts to ensure justice in societies marked by violence and repression