Claire Taylor

Claire Taylor is a sociologist with almost two decades of experience in gun violence prevention. She recently concluded her tenure at Gun Free South Africa (GFSA), a non-governmental organisation working to reduce gun violence and create a safer country, where she served as a senior research and policy analyst. In this role, she guided GFSA's advocacy and public awareness work to ensure that policies are evidence-based and that the voices of the unarmed majority are heard.

At GFSA, Taylor authored a range of of firearms-related policy briefings designed to inform those with the power to shape violence prevention policy and practice. She also authored and contributed to various reports and guides, including analyses of the impact of South Africa's Firearms Control Act of 2000 on gun violence, the opportunities and challenges at the Central Firearms Registry, a resource for activists to help silence the guns in Africa and an analysis of the role of firearms in SA’s 2021 unrest in which over 350 people were killed (forthcoming).

Prior to joining GFSA, Taylor worked as a researcher and communicator for various NGOs focusing on violence prevention, health promotion and sustainable energy. She holds a Master's degree in sociology and an Honours degree in publishing, both from the University of the Witwatersrand.