BACKGROUND: THE TRIBUNAL ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN
From March 4 to 8, 1976, the first International Tribunal on Crimes against Women was held at the Brussels Palace of Congress. Over two thousand women from forty countries participated, sharing personal testimonies that documented numerous instances of violence against women worldwide. The opening speech was written by Simone de Beauvoir.
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Topics addressed included medical and economic crimes, rape, political prisoners, crimes against lesbians, domestic violence, prostitution, pornography, and femicide. Many written statements were also submitted by women who could not attend the tribunal in person.
This tribunal was the first large-scale gathering on this topic and was organised by a small group of feminists, including the renowned feminist writer Diana Russell, the Belgian journalist Nicole Van de Ven, and the Belgian activist Lilly Boeykens. Inspired by the International War Crimes Tribunal, a people’s tribunal for crimes committed during the Vietnam War, this tribunal aimed to share experiences, empower women, and send a clear message to governments. The tribunal also had a significant symbolic role in breaking society’s silence issues related to women.
Both the tribunal and the book written about it had a considerable impact on international legislation and local initiatives, such as shelters and welfare programs. It laid essential foundations for all feminist movements that have emerged since.
DOWNLOAD ‘Crimes Against Women: Proceedings of the International Tribunal’ (PDF)
TRIBUNAL26: THE SECOND TRIBUNAL ON CRIMES AGAINST WOMEN
In 2026, the second edition of the Tribunal on Crimes against Women will take place in Antwerp, Belgium. This large-scale, two-day event will offer opportunities for a broad public, including diverse genders and ages, to get involved in activities such as workshops, debates, and more.
As a sustainable outcome of the aforementioned activities, an interactive publication will be created, enabling other organisations and stakeholders to learn from our practices and integrate this learning into their own activities. Through a digital platform, testimonies, methodologies, articles, videos and more will be compiled and made accessible. These tools aim to ensure the long term impact our project, continuously empowering women worldwide and promoting gender equality within society.