Founded 2000 | Website www.ijr.org.za | |
Type Non-Government Organisation, Think Tank Location Cape Town, South Africa | ||
The Institute for Justice and Reconciliation (IJR) is a non-governmental organisation and think tank based in Cape Town, South Africa. It was forged out of the country’s Truth and Reconciliation process in 2000. The aim was to ensure that lessons learnt from South Africa’s transition from apartheid to democracy were taken into account as the nation moved ahead. Patron of the IJR is Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu.
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Overview
Today, the Institute’s vision is to build fair, democratic and inclusive societies in Africa. Through carefully selected engagements and interventions, the IJR seeks to shape national approaches to transitional justice and reconciliation in Africa by drawing on community intelligence as well as macro-trend research and comparative analysis.
The IJR has earned an international reputation for research of the highest quality, bold policy suggestions and in-depth reconciliation work on the ground.
The widely acclaimed South African Reconciliation Barometer and the Transformation Audit are two of the annual publications that are based on the IJR’s in-house research and analysis. The IJR is core partner of the Afrobarometer since 2013, managing the implementation of the barometer and its research for the Southern Africa region.
IJR’s main mission is to keep reconciliation and social justice on South Africa’s and Africa’s agenda. Evidence shows clear links between economic growth, development, peace and reconciliation, especially where societies resolve conflict and democratise.
The Institute annually recognises the contributions of others to the field of justice and reconciliation through the IJR Reconciliation Award, with past winners including Brigalia Bam, Pieter-Dirk Uys and Albie Sachs.
Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu is the Institute’s longstanding patron. Its eminent Board of Directors includes Professor Brian O’Connel, Justice Richard Goldstone, Advocate Dumisa Ntsebeza, Dr Louise Asmal and Dr Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela. Dr Fanie du Toit, who has been with the IJR since its establishment, is the Executive Director.
In 2008 the IJR won the coveted UNESCO International Prize for Peace Education for its part in shaping post-apartheid history education in South Africa.
Justice and Reconciliation in Africa Programme
The Justice and Reconciliation in Africa Programme (JR) team has worked to develop and implement initiatives that contribute to the building of fair, democratic, and inclusive societies in Africa. Institute-wide strategic planning sessions during the course of 2009 highlighted opportunities for increased consultation and collaboration with the Institute's BIS Programme and its PA Programme. This has given rise to collaborative work in Rwanda, Zimbabwe, and South Sudan. The Head of the JRA Programme is Professor Tim Murithi, www.ijr.org.za
Policy and Analysis Programme
The Policy and Analysis (PA) Programme informs the IJR´s fledging involvement in grassroots community engagements as well as its tentative forays into policy forums. Even though related data and research were at the Institute´s disposal during these first years, very few resources honed in squarely on the IJR´s focal areas of inquiry, namely the country´s progress (or otherwise) in its quest for justice and reconciliation, and the extent to which it has been able to push back the boundaries of poverty, inequality, and socio-economic justice. The Head of the PA Programme is Mr. Jan Hofmyer, www.ijr.org.za
Building an Inclusive Society Programme
The various components of the Building an Inclusive Society Programme (BIS) work together to acknowledge and confront enduring legacies of injustice and marginalisation in post-colonial and post-apartheid in South Africa. This acknowledgement gives way to various project initiatives that seek out ways to foster meaningful reconciliation and reconstruction within communities in South Africa. The programme is grounded in the belief that reconciliation necessarily entails reconstruction and transformation and vice versa. ‘Cheap’ or ‘easy’ reconciliation or reconstruction is not an option. The Head of the BIS Programme is Mr. Stanley Henkemann, www.ijr.org.za
Communication and Strategy Programme
The Communication and Strategy Programme (C&S) focuses on the integration and coordination of activities within the Institute, as well as strategic and inclusive decision-making processes. Increasing amounts of information often contribute to difficulties in prioritising, filtering and archiving of texts and data.The C&S programme manages several technical tools to ensure that information is adequately archived and properly stored. The programme also creates opportunities for internal knowledge-sharing. The Head of the CS Programme is Ms. Carolin Gomulia, www.ijr.org.za