Reducing violence in South Africa: from research to action

This policy brief by the Institute for Security Studies proposes a framework for scaling up evidence-based violence prevention programmes in South Africa. It argues that while the country has extensive research on the causes and nature of violence, there is a significant 'implementation gap' between policy and practice. The authors advocate for the use of implementation research and the establishment of an 'implementation hub' to coordinate government, NGOs, and academics in ensuring that interventions are effective, sustainable, and responsive to real-world community contexts.

• South Africa faces a significant 'implementation gap' where progressive policies and legislation are not effectively translated into practice due to the complexities of real-world settings.
• Implementation research is proposed as a tool to bridge the gap between theoretical effectiveness and real-world application. It focuses on the study of methods to improve the uptake and translation of research findings into routine practices, specifically seeking to understand what, why, and how interventions work in actual settings.
• The document identifies several evidence-based programmes already operating in South Africa, including Skhokho (school-based IPV prevention), Thula Sana (mother-infant attachment), Sinovuyo (child abuse and neglect), Stepping Stones and Creating Futures (gender norms and livelihoods), and MenCare+.
• Practitioners of positive parenting programmes report three primary implementation challenges: recruitment (overcoming stigma and timing), retention (barriers like transport, childcare, and unemployment), and referral systems (difficulty navigating the child-protection system).
• Staff well-being is critical to programme quality; high burnout, demotivation, and a lack of clinical supervision can lead to high staff turnover and poor delivery of violence prevention services.
• The authors recommend the creation of an 'implementation hub' to bring together government, researchers, and implementers to build a shared vision, coordinate training, and ensure that programmes are cost-effective and human rights-based.

APA

Institute for Security Studies (n.d.). Reducing violence in South Africa: from research to action. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/plicybrief108-v2.pdf

Chicago

Institute for Security Studies. Reducing violence in South Africa: from research to action. n.d. https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/plicybrief108-v2.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Institute for Security Studies |title=Reducing violence in South Africa: from research to action |url=https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/plicybrief108-v2.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{instituteforsecuritystudiesndreducing, author = {{Institute for Security Studies}}, title = {{Reducing violence in South Africa: from research to action}}, institution = {Institute for Security Studies}, url = {https://issafrica.s3.amazonaws.com/site/uploads/plicybrief108-v2.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }