High levels of violence is often a characteristic of post-conflict countries in transition; this is especially true of post-colonial societies where oppression and repression have marked the society for hundreds of years. In the case of South Africa, apartheid exacerbated the situation.
Given the current concerns about possible violence against foreigners and the ongoing abuse suffered by many women and children in our society, there is a sense of urgency that the education system needs to deal with the situation.
Many children are also subjected to high levels of violence in their schools. Instead of schools being a place of safety, some learners are at risk of becoming victims of crime on their school property and in their classrooms. Despite some attempts to deal with the situation (for example the introduction of metal detectors to some schools), the situation remains.
The dialogue will bring together stakeholders to discuss what interventions are needed in order to look at what needs to be done to find solutions to the current challenges.