Founded in 1989 and registered as a Section 21 company in 1990, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation is an independent, non-profit organisation. It engages in research, community interventions, policy formation, service delivery, education and training. For three decades CSVR has worked to understand violence, heal its effects, reconcile communities and build sustainable peace in South Africa, the continent and elsewhere in the world.
In particular, CSVR undertakes targeted research and advocacy in partnership with civil society and affected communities in order to hold state, continental and global institutions accountable. A multidisciplinary institute, CSVR’s expertise and skill set offer a comprehensive and integrated service.
CSVR provides technical support and works with individuals and communities, to focus on the wide range and forms of violence and conflict, including collective and interpersonal, political and criminal, and state and social violence. CSVR provides mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) and other interventions to address and prevent violence and human rights violations. CSVR’s work is rooted in an analysis of the shifting forms of conflict and violence within societies enduring a transition to democracy.