GLEPHA’s Violence Prevention Special Interest Group played a central role in the first African Regional Conference on Law Enforcement and Public Health, a milestone event advancing collaborative approaches to public safety and wellbeing across the continent.
Held in Tshwane, South Africa, the conference brought together law enforcement, public health professionals, policymakers, researchers, and community leaders to explore joint responses to challenges such as violence, substance use, and mental health.
Professor Zara Quigg (Liverpool John Moores University and WHO Collaborating Centre for Violence Prevention) delivered a plenary on global early intervention strategies. Alongside Professor Stan Gilmour and Gwen Dereymaeker (Director of South Africa’s Violence Reduction Unit), she co-led a multi-agency workshop focused on life-course approaches to violence prevention, the value of cross-sector trust, and the importance of data for decision-making. The session also explored common challenges and opportunities for adopting a public health approach in different regional contexts.
Professor Gilmour, a GLEPHA Fellow, opened the pre-conference UNODC/SANPUD workshop on Harm Reduction Policing, and later delivered a plenary on neurodisability and the need for collaborative violence prevention. He also hosted a masterclass on working with people of determination and met with Winnie Nkoana, Secretary of GLEPHA’s Neurodisability SIG.
This well-attended event also marked the launch of the Africa Law Enforcement and Public Health Network, a new and vital regional partner for GLEPHA dedicated to advancing research, advocacy, and evidence-based programming.