Safety and Peace Promotion Research Unit

Conferences and seminars

5th African Regional Safe Communities Conference:
Towards Enabling a Culture of Non-Violence and Peace
28-30 April 2008
Maputo, Mozambique

The University of South Africa (UNISA) Institute for Social and Health Sciences (ISHS) and its Centre for Peace Action, in collaboration with the Medical Research Council’s (MRC) Presidential Crime, Violence and Injury Lead Programme and the Faculty of Medicine at the Eduardo Mondlane University (EMU) in Mozambique, hosted the 5th African Regional Safe Communities Conference from 28 to 30 April 2008 in Maputo, Mozambique. The conference was opened by the Minister of Interior and the Deputy Minister of Health of Mozambique, and launched with messages of support from the World Health Organisation and the leadership of the EMU. The local organising committee mobilised an enthusiastic and dedicated cross-sectorial group of NGOs/service providers, government departments and academics focused on injury and violence prevention in Mozambique.

(Left)Prof. Eduardo Munhequete: Chair of Local Organising Committee
(Right)Deputy Minister of Health,Mozambique

The themes that emerged from the conference and the ensuing discussions confirmed the need for the establishment of district, provincial and national focal points to:

• Facilitate co-ordination between agencies in the sector.
• Oversee the development of policy/legislation frameworks.
• Inform the implementation of policy frameworks.
• Advocate for resource allocation.
• Foster monitoring and evaluation of programmes.
• Encourage and support the development of injury and violence surveillance systems.
• Encourage and support research programmes through universities, research institutes, etc.

Critically, the delegates endorsed the proposal to develop a National Trauma and Safety Promotion Programme, which will be led by the Faculty of Medicine at EMU.

The conference outcomes further reinforced the collaborative partnership that exists between the UNISA-MRC group from South Africa and their EMU colleagues. Among other, this cooperation will strengthen its focus on:

• Stimulation of safe communities in Mozambique.
• Training and research.
• Fostering of international and regional linkages.
• Lobbying and advocacy.
• Production of country-level & regional state-of-the-art/status reports.
• Policy issues.

Prof. Mohamed Seedat (centre) & Prof. Kopano Ratele (back, left) of UNISA ISHS with members of the Local Organising Committee

Finally, the conference resulted in the identification of safe communities initiatives in Mozambique that cohere well with the overarching framework of the International Safe Communities Network. One such programme, co-ordinated by NGO CA-Paz and implemented in several neighbourhoods of Matola District, has committed to applying for membership of the Network in 2009.

Site visit to CA-Paz

Reporter: Shahnaaz Suffla, South Africa