Founded in 2006, the Peace and Conflict Studies Center (PCSC) is comprised of a group of experts and scholars in harmony, transitional justice, peace, human security and human rights. The Center’s vision is of a peaceful and fully democratic Nepal that upholds the rule of law, ensures inclusivity, respects human rights and promotes human security.
The Center is committed to the process of conflict transformation through peaceful means, a concept they see a setting them apart from other organisations which focus on conflict resolution, conflict management and transitional justice system.
Because of notable works and experiences on conflict transformation, transitional justice, peace, human security and human rights, Human Security Professor Bishnu Pathak (Founding President of the PCSC) has been appointed as a Commissioner of the Commission of Investigation on Enforced Disappeared Persons (CIEDP).
Research and Publication
All types of review, policy, action and truth-seeking research conducted on various dimensions. Research ranges from restorative justice mechanisms to negative conflict transformation by peaceful means and peace and its cycle. Research originates from several theories of human security and more than a dozen definitions of human rights. Over 100 research papers have been published in print and electronic from various journals, books, magazines and media services around the world.
Human Rights and Democratisation Trainings
PCSC successfully provided human rights and democratisation training to former combatants of the Maoist army during 2008 to 2009. Dozens of senior combatants of the Maoist Army participated with a great enthusiasm. They had shown special interests on global politics and their conflict, DDR-SSR, UN and peace, transitional justice, national and international instruments of human rights, reculturation and among others.
Interaction Programmes
The Center organized several interaction programmes among them 'mediation sharing' with Prof. Johan Galtung in 2006. Participants - which include Government-Maoist negotiators, senior diplomats, UN personnel, politicians, academics, civil society officials, students and media personnel - benefit from the exchange of peace processes in the world. A ten-day visit of Prof. Johan Galtung was also organized in February 2013 to mediate the conflict being existed within or among political parties. Mainstream parties were largely divided over the issues to hold elections to Constituent Assembly II and the formation of technocrat-led Government of Nepal. Prof. Galtung minimized the differences of parties successfully mediating the conflict.
Police Stations Visitors Week
PCSC was involved in organising 'Police Stations Visitors Week' from 2009 to 2012. Police Stations Visitors Week was a unique global event to assess the quality of services delivered by the participating police departments or personnel, to identify some of the best practices in use by police and to strengthen the accountability of police to the local citizens whom they serve and promote human rights standards. The Peace and Conflict Studies Center developed 'Approaches to Citizen-Centric Policing' has been an essential academic tool to all organisations in the world involved in Police Stations Visitors Week.
Mediation and Dialogue
The board members of the PCSC have attended dialogue and have successfully mediated to resolve the contentious from community to mainstream political parties at national levels in Nepal.
