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Dear VPF Friends,
Welcome to the Violence Prevention Forum newsletter. On a bi-weekly basis we will be sharing research, resources, upcoming events and opportunities. We hope you find this a useful resource.
For any resources and events you'd like to share in this newsletter or queries, contact vpf@issafrica.org.
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Call for Applications: VPF Facilitation Course 2025
Are you interested in building your skills in facilitation, dialogue design, and conflict management? The Violence Prevention Forum, in partnership with ISS, Reos Partners, Phaphama Initiatives, and Leadership Pathways, invites applications for a free, online facilitation course starting in September 2025. Open to NGO staff, government officials, researchers, private sector professionals, and donors, this intensive nine-day course will equip participants to design and lead meaningful, inclusive conversations across divides.
Email application to: aterblanche@issafrica.org with the subject line: VPF Facilitation Course Application 2025.
Deadline: 31 July 2025
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Webinar: Community-led safety, rural strategies that work
South Africa’s safety challenges, especially in rural areas, receive widespread media coverage. While discussions about crime and violence are often polarised, there’s growing consensus that addressing these issues requires a whole-of-society approach.
But most responses still focus on security alone, despite evidence that this doesn’t yield lasting results, and examples of effective community-led solutions are rarely highlighted. Rural communities are already implementing innovative, cross-sector strategies that tackle violence and its root causes, like poverty and unemployment.
This webinar will share practical lessons from these community-led efforts and explore how they can inform broader safety and security responses.
Panelists:
- Sandy La Marque, Kwanalu, Chief Executive Officer
- Lynette Parsons, Lima Rural Development, Managing Director
- Thamsanqa Mzaku, Phaphama Initiatives, Director
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 10:00 -11:30 (GMT+2)
Register: here
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Webinar: The state of Child Predation on South African Social Media
This webinar will focus on insights drawn from a comprehensive report covering the period from June 2024 to May 2025. The report sheds light on various critical issues, including dating dynamics, teenage pregnancy, intergenerational dating, and the troubling prevalence of child pornography and content that sexualizes minors.
Date: 31 July 2025
Time: 14:00-15:00 SAST
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Call for applications: SVRI 2026 Young Professionals Programme(YPP)
The Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) is inviting early-career professionals working to end violence against women and children to apply for its Young Professionals Programme (YPP) ahead of the SVRI Forum 2026 in Bangkok. This opportunity is designed to support young researchers and practitioners,35 years and under, who are planning to submit abstracts to the Forum.
Participants in the programme will receive tailored support, including pre-abstract mentoring, one-on-one guidance from global experts, and training on presenting at international conferences. Whether or not your abstract is accepted, selected applicants will receive a bursary to attend the Forum, making it an incredible opportunity for learning, growth, and connection.
Deadline: 31 July 2025
Apply: here
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Call for Applications: Africa Impact Fundraising Grant
The New Africa Fund has launched the Africa Impact Fundraising (AIF) Grant Program, which is designed to help African NGOs, community organisations, and social enterprises strengthen their fundraising skills and access funding. Selected organisations will begin with an online course on small donor campaigns, followed by a 30-day fundraising challenge where they stand a chance to secure up to $5,000 USD in matching funds.
Top-performing groups will be invited to a week-long, in-person workshop in Kigali, Rwanda, covering practical skills like financial management, grant writing, donor engagement, and local fundraising strategies. This opportunity is open to organisations registered in any of the 55 African Union member states.
Deadline: 31 July 2025
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Resource: An Exploratory Study of Elder Abuse in Cape Town Townships
A groundbreaking study by Ikamva Labantu has exposed alarming levels of abuse suffered by older adults, especially women, in Cape Town’s townships. The report reveals that elders face not only physical and sexual violence but also economic exploitation, neglect, and spiritual abuse, often at the hands of close family members. Rooted in broader social challenges like substance abuse and unemployment, this hidden crisis remains largely unreported due to fear and limited support. The findings highlight an urgent need for stronger community awareness, better protective measures, and coordinated action to safeguard some of society’s most vulnerable members.
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Resource: Prevention is Possible, Global Lessons on Halving Violence Against Women and Girls
This briefing highlights key global lessons from the What Works Programme, the UK’s leading initiative to prevent violence against women and girls (VAWG).
Drawing on nearly a decade of evidence, the report demonstrates that it is possible to halve rates of VAWG through well-designed, evidence-based interventions. It emphasises the importance of community engagement, early prevention, and locally driven solutions, offering practical guidance for scaling effective approaches worldwide. |
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