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
PolicyPublicationsMental Health, Psychosocial Support, Trauma and TransitionTowards Advancing Psychosocial Justice: Strengthening Mental Health Support through the Psychosocial Wellness ProgrammeViolence continues to leave deep psychological and social scars in many communities, creating urgent needs for accessible, context-sensitive mental health support programmes and systems. Through the Psychosocial Wellness Programme (PWP) at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), efforts have been made to advance psychosocial wellness by strengthening holistic care systems for violence-affected individuals and communities. Recognizing… Read More Teresa AbelJuly 1, 2025
PolicyReconciliation, Reparations and Victim Services, Restorative Justice, Social Cohesion, Transitional Justice, Trauma and Transition, Truth and Reconciliation Commission, Violence PreventionBEYOND RHETORIC: INTEGRATING AFRICAN TRADITIONAL JUSTICE MECHANISMS INTO TRANSITIONAL JUSTICE PROCESSESThe policy brief emphasizes the importance of integrating African traditional justice mechanisms into transitional justice processes to enhance rule-of-law and peace-building efforts across the continent. It highlights the recognition of these mechanisms in various countries, where they operate alongside formal judicial systems to address disputes and promote reconciliation, especially in post-conflict contexts. Despite their potential, the brief identifies challenges such… Read More Dr. Tadesse MetekiaApril 25, 2025
MHPSSPublicationsResearchMental Health, Peacebuilding, Reconciliation, Transitional Justice, Trauma and TransitionThe Power of We: How collective processes allow healing after mass atrocity – Reflections from the fieldIn 2024, the Global Learning Hub for Transitional Justice and Reconciliation convened partners, AJAR, the Berghof Foundation, CSVR, and Dejusticia in a collaborative workstream on Collective Healing. Through a joint process of learning and reflection, the team examined diverse country experiences to inform more transformative approaches to transitional justice, reconciliation, and peacebuilding. Drawing on institutional reflections and field-based practices from… Read More CSVRApril 17, 2025
ArticlesMental Health, Psychosocial Support, Trauma and TransitionIntegrating Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) in Transitional Justice A Pathway for Breaking the Cycle of Violence and Creating Sustainable PeaceThe aftermath left by civil unrest and human rights violations within a conflict-stricken country is indescribable. The ramifications of armed conflict include large-scale destruction of critical infrastructure, widespread environmental damage from chemical weapons and entire communities experiencing severe physical and psychological injuries. After the guns have been ‘silenced’ and treaties signed, countries often undergo an extensive transitional process where affected… Read More Lethabo MotloungSeptember 18, 2023
Our News and EventsMental Health, Trauma and Transition, Trauma CounsellingLeading for Healing Programme for the Social Justice SectorCSVR invites you to attend a programme briefing on Friday 14th October 2022 for potential participants in our Leading for Healing capacity and resilience building programme. This programme, made possible by the Ford Foundation, seeks to offer existing grantees of the foundation and other organizations in the social justice sector, an opportunity to engage in a 10–month course of healing… Read More CSVROctober 7, 2022
