reparationssteg

Reparationssteg is a term used in public policy discourse to describe a staged or phased approach to reparations for past harms, including historical injustices such as discrimination, colonization, or war-related harms. The term combines reparation with steg, the Swedish word for "step" or "stage."

Proponents describe reparationssteg as a framework that guides design and implementation through sequential measures, with built-in evaluation to avoid one-off solutions. A typical model identifies several phases: recognition and apology; targeted compensation or restitution; restoration of rights or properties; structural reforms to address systemic causes and safeguard against repetition; and ongoing accountability and evaluation to monitor outcomes and adjust programs.

In practice, reparationssteg has appeared in Nordic policy discussions and comparative transitional justice analyses, though it is not a universally standardized term. It is used to discuss how reparations programs can be sequenced to advance justice while balancing budgets and political feasibility. Critics warn that staged approaches may delay redress or exclude affected groups if phases are poorly defined, funded, or monitored.

Relation to broader concepts: it is related to reparations, restorative justice, and transitional justice, and may be applied in governmental, corporate, or civil society contexts to address harms and inequities. Related topics include reparations, transitional justice, restorative justice, and official apologies.