Instelling

The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR)

The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR was established in 1989 under the name "Project for the study of violence". Initially affiliated to the Research division of the University of the Witwatersrand Johannesburg until mid 1997, it became an independent NGO, registered as a Section 21 (not-for-profit) company. The CSVR was a multi-disciplinary organisation, engaging the services of sociologists, psychologists, criminologists, lawyers, educationalists, historians etc. The Centre attempted to engage with the full spectrum of forms of violence, including social, criminal, political, domestic and gender violence. It worked with a wide range of organisations, constituencies and stake-holders in both government and non-government sectors. These included community organisations, government departments, NGOs, schools, prisons, police, youth, political parties, business organisations and development agencies. The CSVR actively engaged with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) and with relevant institutions beyond the life of the TRC, so as to ensure that human rights abuses do not occur again, that a sustainable human rights culture is built in South Africa, and that the victims of Apartheid abuses gain maximum benefit from their engagement with the TRC. The CSVR received its funding mainly through Donations, Project and Programme funding. Together with its various projects and programmes it offered a number of practical services such as Trauma counselling, in-house education, research and analysis, crime prevention consultancy amongst others. The CSVR was structured into various Units and programmes, namely: Criminal Justice Policy Unit, Gender Unit, Youth department, Education & Media Unit, Transition and Reconciliation Unit, Trauma Clinic and Africa programme & Refugee Desk.