UCT Short Courses in Transitional Justice and Peacebuilding

These short courses are designed for mid to senior level practitioners, human rights defenders and civil society actors working on peace, justice and security in Africa. They combine critical academic engagement with practice-based insight, drawing on African experience and expertise.

  • Addressing Historic Abuses

  • Gender, Peace and Justice

  • Transitional Justice in Africa

Programme Rationale

The adoption of the African Union Transitional Justice Policy has expanded the number of actors engaged in justice processes across the continent. At the same time, many practitioners and officials enter this field without formal training in transitional justice or atrocity crimes.

These courses respond to this gap by offering structured, contextually grounded training that is tailored to the needs of African practitioners and policy makers. They draw on established expertise while remaining attentive to current political and institutional challenges.

Objectives

  • Provide training in transitional justice and atrocity crimes grounded in African historical and social contexts
  • Equip participants with knowledge on key themes such as gender justice, climate justice and violent extremism
  • Draw on African expertise and case studies to bridge theory and practice
  • Strengthen understanding of the lived impact of violence and the needs of affected communities

Outcomes

  • Strengthened capacity to inform policy and practice in participants’ own contexts
  • Deeper understanding of justice challenges across the continent
  • Greater sensitivity to context in the design of justice interventions
  • Expanded professional networks across civil society, government and regional institutions
  • Ongoing engagement through a community of practice, including follow up discussions and events

Online Short Courses

We also offer periodic online courses that bring together peacebuilders from across Africa. These courses provide direct insight into local contexts and responses to conflict.

Each session features practitioners who reflect on their work, the challenges they face, and the strategies they use to advance peace and justice. Topics have included peacebuilding in Mozambique, South Sudan and Northern Uganda, as well as issues such as child soldiers in Mali and the legacy of Gukurahundi in Zimbabwe.