Research and Policy From 23-27 September, IJR’s Research and Policy HOD, Jan Hofmeyr will be in Colombo, Sri Lanka, to provide ongoing assistance to GIZ’s “Strengthening Reconciliation Processes in Sri Lanka Project” in the development of a measurement instrument for reconciliation in that country. On the 29th of October, IJR’s Jan Hofmeyr will be participating in [...]
Imagine growing up in the world today. A world marked by growing insecurity, the threat of war and terror, human rights violations, political and ideological polarisation, violence inside and outside the home and the ever growing threat of imminent climate catastrophe. We’re spending more time online than ever, navigating virtual spaces that are often unsafe and even harmful.
The IJR took part in the 16-17 June 2019 edition of the Spring Dialogues, held in the picturesque and historical city of Potsdam, just outside Berlin. The Potsdam Spring Dialogues were originally convened to build bridges and foster common understanding.
Earlier in the year IJR co-hosted the Western Cape celebration of 25 years of democracy and 25 years of the Human Rights Institute of South Africa (HURISA). At the launch of the report IJR’s Felicity Harrison gave a message of support from the Western Cape, highlighting the need to work on justice in order to achieve reconciliation.
On Saturday 17 August 2017, IJR had the privilege of hosting the first inter-race meals for change dialogue at the Fountains Hotel in Cape Town. Participants of different ages from diverse races, geographic communities and cultures came together to share a meal and share with each other what their lives are like living in Cape Town.
Driven by the vision that “African societies thrive when African voices count in public policy and development," Afrobarometer has approved a new structure designed to strengthen governance, management oversight, strategic adaptability, resource mobilization, and African capacity-building programmes.
‘This is my legacy’ says Aunty Fachmieda Young from Bonteheuwel as I hand her a copy of ‘These are the things that sit with us’. Her eyes gloss over as she reaches for the book, pages through it and eventually finds her portrait and story. She leans back in her chair and sees her younger self look from the pages in the book.
IJR’s Dr. Webster Zambara participated at the 15th Southern Africa Development Community (SADC) Civil Society Forum that was recently held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania from 13 – 15 August, ahead of the SADC Summit of Heads of State and Government. The Forum ran under the theme ‘Towards a Prosperous and Integrated Africa: Equity and Justice for All’.
The work of mental health and psychosocial support workers as well as peacebuilders to heal and restore the social fabric that binds and supports people within their communities is essential for breaking cycles of violence and building sustainable peace. While it seems self-evident that these two fields would coordinate their efforts in order to enhance their impact, research by IJR points to the fact that the two fields work mostly in isolation from one another.
On 06 February the ‘Political Agreement for Peace and Reconciliation in the Central African Republic’ was signed by the CAR government and 14 armed groups in Bangui following negotiations in Khartoum that began on 24 January under the auspices of the AU. It addresses justice and reconciliation, governance, and transitional security arrangements.
