11th Western Cape Violence Prevention Forum meeting: "The vision begins with me"
 

In 2024, provincial leaders from NGOs, government, research, and development partners gathered to craft a shared vision of a violence-free Western Cape — a place of peace, freedom, and joy; mutual respect, care, dialogue, and collaboration; where everyone belongs and thrives.

On 29–30 September, the Forum held its 11th meeting at the Novalis Ubuntu Institute, under the theme “Planting and watering seeds on the ground to realise the vision.” The 35 leaders present engaged in rich discussions on youth wellbeing, visited the Philisa Abafazi Bethu intervention, and reflected on campaigns like MOSAIC’s #ThinaSonke GBV initiative in mobilising public awareness.

The message is clear: violence cannot be prevented by raising fences or declaring emergencies. It is complex, intertwined with cycles of adversity, and worsened by socio-economic challenges and institutional weaknesses. Real change requires society to work collectively — removing sources of harm, intervening early in families and communities, and crossing divides with dialogue and care.

The video captures interviews with participants responding to key questions, including: what South Africans need to understand about violence and prevention, what leaders need to know to create safer communities, how their work contributes to the vision, and messages of hope for the province. These candid reflections bring the vision to life, showing the passion, commitment, and insights of those working on the ground.

Safety 2026: 16th World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion  

The World Conference on Injury Prevention and Safety Promotion is coming to South Africa. The conference aligns with the 30th anniversary of the WHO Resolution that declared violence a public health priority, in which South Africa played a pivotal role.    

Injuries accounting for 8% of global deaths, claiming more than 4.4 million lives annually. Low- and middle-income countries suffer most of this burden accounting for 90% of injuries globally and 83% of injury-related deaths, with South Africa among the most severely affected. 

The conference will explore the structural, social and commercial drivers of injury risk, and potential solutions through an African lens that is universally applicable. 

Under the theme: Ubuntu:United for a Safer Future, the conference will highlight the importance of collective action and shared responsibility in injury and violence prevention. The conference is a call to action to put safety and public health at the forefront of policy considerations.  

Registration and the call for abstracts are now open via the conference website, here.  

Closing date for abstract submission: 31 January 2026   

Conference Date: 2-4 September 2026 

Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre, in South Africa 

The Gender + Tech network is hosting its 2026 international conference in London, focusing on technology-facilitated abuse. The event brings together researchers, policymakers, practitioners, tech industry leaders, and survivors to share knowledge and collaborate on solutions to prevent abuse and promote safer digital environments. 

Over three days, participants will engage in workshops, panel discussions, and interactive sessions that combine research evidence, practical experience, and survivor perspectives. The conference will cover emerging threats, innovative interventions, and strategies for policy and practice, aiming to bridge the gap between technology and safety. 

A key feature of the event is its focus on interdisciplinary collaboration. Attendees will have opportunities to network, form partnerships, and co-create strategies that translate knowledge into actionable solutions. Sessions will highlight evidence-based approaches, emerging technologies, and community-driven practices to combat online abuse. 

The Gender + Tech Conference 2026 provides a platform for diverse voices to contribute to global efforts against technology-facilitated abuse. 

Registration is now open 

Building a theory of change to guide fatherhood programming to prevent family violence: a comparison of two programs

A recent study highlights the crucial role fathers can play in preventing violence against women and children. Researchers analysed two gender-transformative fatherhood programmes — Bandebereho in Rwanda and REAL Fathers in Uganda — to understand how they work and why they are effective. By comparing these programmes, the team developed a joint “theory of change” outlining the key pathways through which engaging fathers can reduce family violence.

The study identifies core programme elements that drive positive outcomes: training change agents, engaging communities, modelling positive masculinities, and encouraging fathers to make public commitments to behaviour change. Despite the programmes operating in different cultural and geographic contexts, these elements consistently supported reductions in intimate partner violence, less violent discipline of children, improved couple communication, and more equitable caregiving.

The findings suggest that fatherhood programmes can have a meaningful impact when they combine individual skill-building with community-level engagement and cultural relevance. By codifying these shared principles into a theory of change, the study provides a practical blueprint for designing, implementing, and evaluating fatherhood interventions in diverse settings.

This research underscores the potential of engaging men as active partners in family violence prevention. Policymakers, practitioners, and programme designers can use these insights to scale effective approaches, strengthen monitoring, and create sustainable, gender-transformative interventions that benefit entire families.