TRAINING: Social Media 4 Peace South Africa Validation Workshop

Migration is an integral part of South Africa’s social and economic landscape, yet migrants and refugees are increasingly targeted by online hate speech, misinformation, and harmful narratives that fuel discrimination, exclusion, and xenophobic violence.

Reabetswe Maputla (Research Assistant, Xenowatch, African Centre for Migration & Society) attended the validation workshop for UNESCO’s Social Media 4 Peace initiative.

This project explores how digital platforms shape public perceptions of migration and examines how harmful online content affects freedom of expression, social cohesion, and the rights of migrants and other marginalised communities. By bringing together government, digital platforms, civil society, researchers, and communities, the project aims to strengthen rights-based digital governance, counter harmful narratives, and promote inclusive online spaces.

The insights and community-driven approaches developed in South Africa will also contribute to shared learning across the African continent.

[Edited Photos: Jaclyn Modise. Photo Credit: Reabetswe Maputla]