PublicationsResearchCriminal Justice, Gender-based Violence, Violence PreventionJustice Denied, Silence Maintained: Women's Voices from the Margins of South Africa's Justice SystemThis research amplifies the lived experiences of women survivors of gender-based violence as they navigate South Africa's criminal justice system. Drawing on qualitative research conducted across diverse communities, the report examines the systemic barriers that prevent women from accessing justice, including institutional failures, secondary victimisation, delayed investigations, and inadequate survivor-centred services. ' The findings highlight the gap between progressive legal… Read More Lindokuhle MalambeJuly 17, 2026
PolicyPublicationsAfrican Union, Amnesty, Criminal Justice, Peacebuilding, Prosecutions and Pardons, Torture and State Violence, Transitional Justice, Trauma and TransitionPromoting Transitional Justice and Accountability in AfricaThis policy paper examines justice and accountability mechanisms in conflict and post-conflict contexts across Africa, focusing on how states can deliver meaningful accountability while building sustainable peace. From Uganda’s 20-year-long insurgency, which displaced 1.5 million civilians, to the genocide in Rwanda, which claimed 800 000 lives, to Sierra Leone’s civil war, which occasioned the deaths of 100 000 people, to… Read More Bobuin Jr Valery Gemandze ObenMay 21, 2026
PolicyPublicationsCriminal Justice, Gender-based ViolenceReport of the Third Southern Africa Gender-based Violence Prevention ForumThe Third Southern Africa GBV Prevention Forum, held in Johannesburg from 19 to 21 August 2025, brought together diverse stakeholders from across the region to reflect, share and co-create strategies for preventing and responding to gender based violence (GBV). The Forum convened government representatives, civil society organisations (CSOs), police services, legal practitioners, youth leaders, survivors, faith and traditional leaders, private-sector… Read More CSVRJanuary 13, 2026
PolicyPublicationsResearchAfrican Union, Criminal Justice, Reparations, Transitional Justice, Truth CommissionsThe State of Transitional Justice in Africa – Volume 1: Benchmarking Country ProcessesThis study provides an assessment of the state of transitional justice in Africa based on the experiences of 10 countries with diverse contexts, in different regions of the continent, and at various stages of transitional justice: Libya, Mali, Ethiopia, The Gambia, South Sudan, Lesotho, Guinea-Conakry, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central African Republic and Burundi. Through the lens of the… Read More CSVRAugust 5, 2025
PolicyPublicationsResearchAfrican Union, Criminal Justice, Reparations, Transitional Justice, Truth CommissionsL'état de la justice transitionnelle en Afrique – Tome 1 : Analyse comparative des processus nationauxLa présente étude fournit une évaluation de l’état de la justice transitionnelle en Afrique, avec un accent particulier sur 10 pays aux contextes divers dans différentes régions du continent et à différents stades de la justice transitionnelle : Libye, Mali, Éthiopie, Gambie, Soudan du Sud, Lesotho, Guinée-Conakry, République démocratique du Congo, République centrafricaine et Burundi. La étude fournit une analyse… Read More CSVRAugust 5, 2025
PolicyPublicationsCriminal Justice, Gender-based ViolenceJustice Denied: Gender-Based Violence Crimes remain unpunishable in South AfricaThe policy paper, Justice Denied: Gender-Based Violence Crimes Remain Unpunishable in South Africa, highlights systemic failures in addressing gender-based violence (GBV). Despite robust laws, survivors face barriers including police corruption, legal delays, and inadequate support services. Community dialogues revealed drivers such as mental health stigma, substance abuse, poverty, and harmful gender norms. The justice system often retraumatises victims, while limited… Read More Lindokuhle Malambe and Liezelle KumaloJune 10, 2025
