Quakers

Over the past decade, around 150,000 people have been killed, injured, or displaced in xenophobic incidents across South Africa. In their efforts to prevent further violence, government, international organisations, and civil society have been hampered by a lack of information on the frequency, location, and causes of such attacks. As a system for information collection, visualization and interactive mapping,Xenowatch will help to address those needs. Relying on crowdsourcing, the platform will allow anyone to freely report threats of violence, past attacks, or active mobilisation using Free SMSs, email or the website.

After verifying reports, Xenowatch will automatically notify the police, international organisations, and civil society of threats, violence, and displacement. By tracking threats, attacks, and responses, the platform will not only serve as an early warning system, but will help to assess the effectiveness of official responses and to identify the triggers of threats and violence.

The platform’s success depends on participation from residents and organisations across the country. To improve its effectiveness, the Xenowatch launch will include a presentation of the latest figures of xenophobic events across the country, a demonstration of the platform, and a discussion of its place in making South Africa a safer country for all who live in it.

When:
Wednesday 10 August 2016 at 14:00
The Wits Club on the West Campus  @ The University of the Witwatersrand
Braamfontein
Johannesburg, South Africa

Please RSVP to Lenore.Longwe@wits.ac.za by 5 August  2016
Map of West Campus at Wits