Reclaiming (Feminist) Justice: 50 Years of the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women (1976–2026) (copy)
About the Event
In 2026, we will mark the 50th anniversary of the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women (1976).
To celebrate this milestone, a series of events (study days, public
discussions, and collective exchanges) will be organized across several
European countries, bringing together scholars, activists, researchers,
organizations, and members of the public.
In March 1976, in Brussels, thousands of women from some 40 countries gathered for a landmark event: the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women, co-organized by Diana E. H. Russell and Nicole Van den Ven, among others.
This symbolic tribunal—without legal power, but with immense political and symbolic significance—was a decisive moment in the history of international feminist struggles. The testimonies given by the women themselves on systemic violence—sexual violence, genital mutilation, domestic violence, reproductive exploitation, incarceration, human trafficking, etc.—publicly exposed the extent and specificity of violence against women around the world. The tribunal also laid the foundations for a transnational and radical feminist approach to justice, memory, collective narrative, and women's voices.
Fifty years later, thanks to the CIVIS funding instrument “Student-Led Projects Call 2025,” three days of commemoration will be organized in Rome, Lausanne, and Brussels, respectively. For the study day in Lausanne, we aim to create a space for critical and interdisciplinary reflection on the legacy, extensions, and contemporary resonance of the International Tribunal on Crimes Against Women. Building from this event, we will use a thematic panel format to examine forms of feminist speech, mobilization, resistance, and justice in the face of systemic violence against women. In addition to the panels, we will offer meetings with associations and individuals involved in the fight against violence against women, designed as spaces for exchange, discovery of programs, and transmission of tools.
These moments aim to strengthen the links between research, fieldwork, and engagement, and to nurture a common reflection on concrete ways to confront systemic violence and support contemporary feminist struggles.
Pratical informations
- 27th of February 2026, 8:00–18:15
- Université de Lausanne, POL 340.1
- on-site only event
- French/English (two Italian guest speakers)
No requirements. Registration possible for the morning session, the afternoon session or both. Max room occupancy 56
Next event: Brussels and Antwerp | March 25-28, 2026
Speakers
Justine Chatellard, University of Lausanne
Daniela Susarenco, Sapienza University of Rome
Milene Le Goff, Université Libre de Bruxelles
Contact
If any quiries, don't hesitate to address them justine.chatellard@unil.ch.