Task Force Meeting on Halving Global Violence held in Durban

On 06 November 2023, the Minister of Social Development Ms Lindiwe Zulu was hosted by the Accord Research organisation in Durban, discussing possible interventions to be implemented to curb and halve the global violence. This is the third Task Force meeting on the Halving of the Global Violence.

Social Development Minister, Ms Lindiwe Zulu, presented opening remarks at the 3rd meeting of the Halving Global Violence Task Force held in Durban. Minister Zulu reiterate the call of President Cyril Ramaphosa, that there is need for the United Nation’s urgent intervention on the violence meted to the people in Gaza. 

The African Union High Representative to the Silencing the Guns Initiative, His Excellency Dr. Mohammed Chambas says it was highly possible that a lasting solution could be found to stop the rampant and devastating violence currently sweeping the world. Quoting the famous Nelson Mandela, Dr. Chambas said: “it always seems impossible until it is done.”

“50 percent of global homicide in Switzerland are domestic cases,” says one of the panelists and Chairperson of Developing Policy at the University of Konstanz, Dr. Anke Hoeffler  at the Third Meeting of the Halving Global Violence Task Force. She says alcohol abuse is responsible for many cases of violence worldwide.

The Director of Southern Africa Institute for Economics and Peace, Mr. Milton Nyamadzawo says women and children were the hardest hit by violence taking place in many countries in the world. He says, banning alcohol consumption, which is punted worldwide as the main contributor to violence, must not be the only solution, but there was a need to focus on other factors causing violence. 

Ms. Tshenolo Tshoaedi, the Executive Director of Community Advice Offices (South Africa), says the fight against violence requires concerted efforts of collaboration with traditional leaders to deal with cases of informal justice, particularly in remotely based villages, where there is alarming rate if violence meted against women and children. Ms. Tshoaedi is one of the participants at the current Pathfinders’ engagements on Global Violence, taking place at Accord offices in Durban, SA.

By Sello Tang