Safety and security

This blog post is a part of our series on Visual Diaries. In this course, we teach you how to develop your own artistic style and voice. One of the vital stepping stones is to find a topic you are passionate about and feel eager to change or resolve it. We have identified 7 Major Global Issues with lots of subcategories to get you started. The 7 main categories are:

1. Polarization
2. Environmental Sustainability
3. Social Sustainability
4. Economic Sustainability
5. Fringes and Frontiers
6. Safety and Security
7. Freedom

Please bear in mind that these topics overlap, interject and fuse together. Some can even be condensed more. But for the sake of our videos, I have finally decided to stick to these 7.

This blog post focuses on topic number five Fringes and Frontiers. The purpose is to create awareness, pique your interest and make you attentive to the specific situations causing this global issue. We want you to become passionate, angry and excited about the topic you choose.

Please bear in mind that these topics overlap, interject and fuse together. Some can even be condensed more. But for the sake of our videos, I have finally decided to stick to these 7.

This blog post focuses on topic number six Safety and Security. The purpose is to create awareness, pique your interest and make you attentive to the specific situations causing this global issue. We want you to become passionate, angry and excited about the topic you choose.

Introduction to Safety and Security

One would think that the internet should ultimately unite the human race. It enables us to share information freely and should give us a deeper understanding of each other, viewpoints, cultures, beliefs and values. However recent current events have shown us that we might be more divided than ever.

The more we move our political conversation online the faster we seem to become divided. So how did social media services that promised to connect the world become some of the strongest forces driving us apart?

Recent events to go and research

War in Ukraine

In 2022 Russia began a military invasion of Ukraine this stemmed from the conflict between Russia and Ukraine that began in 2014.

Border wars between India and Pakistan

Disputes between India and Pakistan between the Kashmir region sparked several border wars.

Crime rates in South Africa rising

Crime in South Africa includes all violent and non-violent crimes that take place in the country. Crime levels are on the rise, especially after the covid019 pandemic.

Sexual Violence in South Africa

The rape count and cases of sexual violence are some of the highest numbers in the world in South Africa. Interpol has even named South Africa the “Rape Capital of
the World”.

North Korea and their nuclear power

North Korea has been working on developing nuclear technology since the 1950’s. North Korea has developed several Nuclear Weapons and conducted several Nuclear Tests. Attempts that have been made to denuclearrise the country have not been successful.

Gun Violence in America

Liberal policies around owning arms in the U.S. have lead to an increasing amount of gun violence. Around more than 500 people day everyday due to gun violence. Access to and ownership of firearms is very easily accessible increasing the chances of violence – this includes school shootings.

Xenophobia Attacks in South Africa

In South Africa, many foreign individuals are met with violence and general discrimination. South African citizens view these people as ‘aliens’ that steal the jobs and opportunities from them. These attitudes result in violence, and often the destruction of foreign businesses and homes.

Venezuela Crisis

Venezuela was once the richest country in Latin America. It has the largest known oil reserves in the world. Its democratic government was once praised worldwide. Today the Venezuelan democracy and economy are in shambles all due to a corrupt president called Nicolas Maduro. Venezuela has the highest inflation rate in the world making food and medicine inaccessible to most people.

Subcategories of Safety and Security/ Vocabulary to understand

Physical Safety

This refers to the physical protection of individuals. This means you have a safe physical environment around you.

Personal Safety

An individual’s avoidance of harmful or violent situations.

Virtual Security

The protection of your information when on technological and online devices. These are security solutions that are performed through software. Antivirus etc.

Digital / Online Privacy

The protection of the information of individuals. For instance, you do not want to have your personal information linked, email address, password that you have entered on online sites.

China’s Social Credit System

China is constantly tracking its citizens with facial recognition. Everything you say or do is marked against your personal scorecard – reards for good behaviour and punishments for bad behaviour. It is Big Brother meets Big Data. Some call it a Digital Dictatorship. Citizens with bad scores get blacklisted.

Surveillance State

A country or state where the government engages in surveillance of large numbers of the population. This may be done through online tracking, Cctv camera etc.

Financial Security

This means being debt-free be easily and comfortably able to afford monthly expenses. Financial security means you have enough money to cover any unseen circumstances or emergencies, like medical bills, car issues etc.

Safety and Security in society

The condition of being safe from any harm or risks may be physical, financial etc.

Psychological Safety

The ability to express your emotions and concerns publicly without fear of being criticised or hurt physically.

Crime rate

The number and statistics of crimes in a specific area, these rates indicate how many incidents take place and what kind of crimes are committed.

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization In 1999 Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic joined NATO. In 2004 seven more countries joined. Belarus, Ukraine and Georgia were now the last post-Soviet countries left.

EU

The European Union is a political and economic union made up of 27 states located in Europe

Warsaw Pact

A treaty was signed between the Soviet Union and Eastern Bloc socialist republics of Central and Eastern Europe during the Cold War in Warsaw. This was established in opposition of NATO.

International Law

Set of rules that are shared and are binding between nations. This means these laws are recognised throughout different nations.

Videos to watch

Further Recommended Research

Watch the documentary Winter on Fire – Ukraine’s fight for freedom on Netflix.

Read the book 1984 by George Orwell.

Topic Hereos to watch out for

Emmanuel Macron

Macron is a French politician currently serving as the president of France. He is opposed to the war in Ukraine.

Nadia Murad

Murad is a Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and UNODC Goodwill Ambassador she is an advocate for female safety. She has become a powerful advocate for women in conflict settings and survivors of sexual violence.

Artists that already addresses this topic

1.Ai Weiwei

Ai Weiwei is a Chinese contemporary artist and activist. It is because Ai Weiwei is passionate about human rights and openly critical of the Chinese Government. He has investigated Chinese government’s corruption and lies and spoken about them openly.  Needless to say the Chinese Government doesn’t like that one bit. 

2. Gerald Machona

Machona is a Zimbabwean visual artist, his work focuses on xenophobia and the violence experienced by Zimbabwean people in South Africa. He is well known for his depictions of foreigners as astronauts from other planets.

3. Sindiso Nyoni

Nyoni’s posters raise awareness around xenophobia and the safety of foreigners in South Africa. He uses strong graphic designs to communicate his message.

4. Gabrielle Goliath

Goliaths exhibition titled This song is for is made up of a collection of songs that are projected onto screens, each song is dedicated to South African women who has been raped. The survivors shared their written experiences of violence, this is accompanied by a song of their choice which is dedicated to their healing.

5. Felix Gonzalez-torres

Gonzalez-torres addresses themes of loss and mourning in the context of gun violence. Here he lists on sheets the names of 460 individuals killed by gun in the United States during the week of May 1–7, 1989, cited by name, age, city, and state.

Possible Solutions

• Forming the United States of Europe / European Federal States
• Legalizing Abortions
• Creating stricter gun ownership policies in the U.S