Xenophobic violence rarely emerges without warning. Growing anger and inflammatory rhetoric can build over time, including in online spaces, signalling rising tension before harm occurs. Understanding these patterns could help shift responses from reacting after violence has happened to identifying risks earlier and taking preventative action.

 

Tales of Turning analysed a sample of X posts in the month leading up to the 30 June protests in South Africa. The analysis found a marked rise in anger ahead of the protest, along with increases in harmful rhetoric and threats, and very little positive messaging to counter the growing negativity. The findings point to the potential of social media monitoring as an early warning tool, helping identify rising tensions and enabling timely interventions and positive narratives before online hostility contributes to real-world harm.

 

 

South Africa’s Acting Minister of Police Firoz Cachalia has promised a 'bold police reset agenda' to rebuild a modern, professional and trusted police service. But with findings from the Madlanga Commission and a related Parliamentary inquiry due in the coming weeks, serious questions remain about criminality, political interference and corruption in the criminal justice system.

 

Join leaders from the ISS, SAPS, Parliament and academia to discuss what these inquiries have revealed so far, and what an effective reset of policing would actually require.

 

Date: 21 July 2026

Time: 12:00-13:30 (GMT+2)

 

The Coalition for Good Schools, Raising Voices, University of Cape Town, and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine invite you to this webinar exploring what it takes to prevent violence against children in and through schools at scale. The webinar will introduce the newly formed PEACE collaboration, a global initiative bringing together academics and practitioners to strengthen how school-based violence prevention interventions are developed and implemented. 

 

Drawing on evaluations of interventions delivered at scale and lessons from the Global South, speakers will explore what enables and what hinders scale-up, and the important role of partnerships and adaptation for success. The session will also create space to reflect on civil society thought leadership and the way forward for violence prevention in and through schools.

 

Date: 28 July 2026

Time: 14:00 (SAST)

Call for submissions: Young Changemakers 2026

 

The African Futures & Innovation programme at the Institute for Security Studies invites young Africans aged 18–35 to submit their ideas for the Young Changemakers 2026 Initiative, as part of the African Futures Conference 2026.

 

Under the theme 'The choices that will shape Africa's future', the initiative seeks to showcase emerging African leaders, thinkers, innovators and storytellers with bold ideas about the continent's future and the choices needed today to shape the Africa they want to see by 2050.

 

Submissions are open to young professionals, researchers, entrepreneurs,  community leaders and students across Africa. Five finalists will receive the Young Changemakers Award, including travel support to attend the African Futures Conference 2026 in Pretoria

 

 

Closing date: 26 July 2026 

Call for applications: Executive Director, Institute for Security Studies

 

The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) is recruiting a new Executive Director to lead the organisation’s next phase of strategic growth and impact across Africa. As a leading policy and research institution focused on crime prevention, justice, governance and security, the ISS works with governments, civil society and regional partners to advance evidence-based solutions for safer societies. This role offers an opportunity to shape the organisation’s vision, strengthen partnerships and ensure the continued delivery of high-quality, policy-relevant research.

 

The position is ideal for a values-driven leader with strong experience in research, policy engagement and organisational management, and a demonstrated commitment to advancing safety, justice and good governance across Africa.The ISS values diversity, professional integrity and innovation in the workplace. Female applicants are especially encouraged to apply.

 

Closing date: 20 July 2026 

SVRI Forum 2026: Connect, Share, Learn 

  

The SVRI Forum is the world’s leading conference dedicated to research, evidence, and solutions to prevent and respond to violence against women and children. This dynamic and action-driven event brings together over 1,000 global stakeholders—including researchers, practitioners, policymakers, funders, and activists—to share cutting-edge research, challenge the status quo, and co-create solutions for a world free from violence.   

  

Registration is now open via the Oxford Abstracts platform. Standard registration opened from 1 March to 15 August 2026.  

  

Dates: 5-9 October 2026 

Venue: Centara Grand Hotel and Bangkok Convention Centre 

Learn more: here 

 

 

Parenting programmes are an important strategy for preventing violence against children and are increasingly being used to address intimate partner violence. However, scaling in-person programmes remains challenging, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, leading to growing interest in digital parenting support.

 

This qualitative study explores caregivers' experiences of a parenting chatbot with integrated intimate partner violence prevention content in South Africa and Jamaica. Caregivers found the chatbot accessible and reported positive changes in their relationships, although some technological barriers and limitations were identified.