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