Durban — President Cyril Ramaphosa must put words into action when he calls for an end to gender-based violence (GBV) on public platforms.
Ramaphosa is holding a presidential summit on GBV and femicide (GBVF) exactly four years to the day since he made a pledge for everyone to work together to end the violence that men perpetrate against women and children in South Africa.
Ramaphosa said that during the first summit, the participants collectively made a firm commitment to the nation to undertake a comprehensive, effective and united response to GBVF.
“We agreed to develop a National Strategic Plan (NSP) to guide our national response, to co-ordinate the sectors involved in the fight against GBV, to strengthen the state’s response, and to align the efforts of government, the private sector and civil society. These included a number of interventions to deal with GBVF in the country, which started with the development of a GBVF Emergency Response Action Plan in 2019,” he said.
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu highlighted some progress registered by the department in the implementation of the NSP on GBVF, on Wednesday at the summit. Zulu said through the services of the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre, the department continues to be accessible to victims across the country.
She said in the Covid-19 lockdown, the centre reached 184 462 clients, compared to the 2019/20 financial year, when 61 573 clients were reached.
“The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre continues to provide GBV victims with holistic services, such as psychosocial counselling, on a 24/7 basis. Between April 2021 and March 2022, 70 353 people accessed these services,” said Zulu.
She added that the department has also deployed 100 GBVF ambassadors in hot spots to conduct education and awareness campaigns. These include the employment of 250 social workers focusing on GBVF.
The United Association of South Africa Union (Uasa) is attending the presidential summit through the federation of Unions of South Africa.
Abigail Moyo, Uasa spokesperson, expressed concern about the levels of abuse and fear women and children are subjected to.
Uasa said it has repeatedly called on Ramaphosa and all stakeholders to ratify Convention 190 (C190) of the International Labour Organisation, which aims to eradicate violence and abuse against women and children at home and at work.
“The first and second summits have come and gone, but women and children are still kidnapped, abused and killed unabated. We take note of the talk and proposed plans. We want women and children protected at all costs,” said Moyo.
Uasa also demanded that the president engages stakeholders, business partners, NGOs, the private sector, labour organisations and all citizens to stand against all forms of GBVF.
Among their demands to the president: to ensure that the C190 is ratified and observed by all, to strengthen the security cluster to ensure all perpetrators are arrested and punished, ensure that safe houses for abused women and children are provided for safe shelter away from the perpetrators, and ensure that harsh punishment awaits GBVF perpetrators.
Daily News