SAFE COMMUNITIES IN AFRICA (SOUTH)

Mohamed SeedatInstitute for Social & Health Sciences

University of South Africa &

Shahnaaz Suffla MRC-UNISA Crime, Violence and Injury Lead

Programme

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

OVERVIEW

• Roots• Safe Community- Community Psychology

Synergy• CPA: Early Focus• Ten Years Later• Scope of Safecom Initiatives• Regional Safecom Conference• Challenges and Questions

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

ROOTED IN:

• Struggle to dismantle apartheid• Post-colonial skewed health systems• Quest for equity, accessibility & cultural

congruence• Critical community psychology (South Africa)• Search for appropriateness and relevance

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

INTRODUCED THROUGH…

• Formalisation of Eldorado Park Centre for Peace Action – 1st African Safecom

• 6th International Safe Communities Conference (Johannesburg, 15-18 October, 1997)

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

CENTRE FOR PEACE ACTION

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

SAFE COMMUNITIES CRITERIA SYNERGISED WITH…

• Community psychology’s accent on:– Collaboration and partnerships– Community participation and consultation– Prevention– Equity and justice– Competencies (as opposed to deficiencies)

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training

ELDORADO PARK CENTRE FOR PEACE ACTION: EARLY FOCUS

• Injury registration• Youth development and after-school

mentorship• Early childhood development

and parenting• Schools-based safety initiatives.• Women and violence

WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence and Injury Prevention Research and Training