South Africa is heading into the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days Campaign) this week, on a grim footing.
The 16 Days Campaign is a United Nations effort which takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).
Killings of women in South Africa rose by 50% this year. According to recent crime statistics, 855 women and 243 children were killed between April and June 2022.
In recent weeks, several action groups have called for men to be more engaged and committed to matters of gender-based violence (GBV).
LEADERS
On November 13 King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, the King of the Zulu nation, took part in a march against GBV. It was organised by the Good Men Foundation and the Maskolo Foundation in Durban.
It aimed to raise awareness around issues of GBV - with men taking the lead. The march was held ahead of International Men's Day which takes place on November 19.
In his speech the King said: “As your king, I speak in a country beset by a scourge. In a country where the majority of citizens live in fear. Where day by day, at home, work, (in) schools, and (on the) streets they avoid those who are supposed to be their partners and protectors.
“These citizens and victims I am referring to are our grandmothers, mothers, wives, sisters, nieces and daughters. Most of them have lost hope because they are victimised by people whom they trust, are known to them, grew up with them and sometimes, are their parents.
“... We must pull up our socks and not only remedy this situation but also ensure that future generations inherit a country wherein women and children abuse will be history,” he said.
Said the king: “History teaches us that as citizens we are guilty on two fronts: by commission and by looking the other way. Those who abuse women and children, rapists and killers are guilty. However, those among us who do nothing to wipe out the scourge are just as guilty. Looking the other way when incidents happen in ranks, churches, mosques, temples, schools, hostels, work places and royal circles does not mean you are innocent, but just as guilty.”
The king committed to using both traditional and modern communication methods to focus efforts on raising awareness around GBV among boy children, and the construction of a GBV Victims Response Centre in Ulundi.
Earlier this month, the Presidential Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Summit was held in Johannesburg.
In his address, President Cyril Ramaphosa said South Africa needed to be united in the fight against GBVF as government, civil society, and other organisations could not address the pandemic alone.
According to a report by Agence de Presse Africaine (APA), Ramaphosa said the country was faced with the difficult task of changing the mindsets of the men. He said the majority of those who committed GBVF crimes were men who needed to be taught good values that would enable them to learn to respect women.
“This is the task that we have on our hands, and this is a task that we need to win together to reach out to boys and young men to develop masculinities that value respect, understanding, and accountability.”
The report said Ramaphosa called for the mobilisation of resources required for effective behavioural change programmes that linked up with efforts of social partners in communities to address the attitudes and actions of men.
ADVOCATES
The Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development (Nisaa), an NGO and NPO organisation, opposed to all forms of oppression, exploitation and violence against women, had representatives at the summit.
Sima Diar, Programmes Manager at Nisaa, said: “The summit was well intended with the theme being accountability, acceleration and amplification – it was good to see that the president was in attendance for most of the first day and then various role players - including ministers, the private sector and Chapter 9 institutions - were also available to account for their actions thus far. They also took cognisance of the voices on the ground. There was opportunity to hold state actors and the private sector to account on the day.
“While not all responses were well met by delegates at the summit, a lot was said and there were promises made. We believe that much needs to be done in terms of accountability by both the government and private sector. One can only hope that it was not just shop talk,” said Diar.
“We are hoping that there will be more resources ring fenced for GBV, especially towards the establishments of the National Council of GBVF. It is essential that this body is functional as soon as possible if GBV is to be taken seriously in the country for actual change to take place.
“Further to that, the summit made use of various platforms like the clinics, commissions and caucuses to ensure there was greater and more meaningful participation in the summit. This allowed for different role players to engage and network, which was meaningful. It is hoped that these engagements and networks will filter through and result in greater co-ordination of work among the different role players.”
Diar said they believed there needed to be a concerted effort in all aspects of work in order for South Africa to gain ground in fighting GBV.
“Response care and support is important for survivors to heal and be empowered to move on from their experiences of GBV. There is need for better resourcing to ensure that laws and the currently amended pieces of legislation are implemented and deemed effective.
“Research needs to continue to get a better understanding of what works and what doesn’t, to understand what needs to happen in order to effect better long-term changes. All role players need to take ownership and be held to account for the roles in either moving the agenda forward or being a hindrance.
“There is definite need for more prevention that needs to take place in order to change to happen at an individual, family and community and societal level. There is no one specific area that needs more attention. At this point in time with GBV being so prevalent in the country and little gains seen on the ground, women have been and are still compromised when it comes to economic empowerment. There is a need for great change in this arena as well.”
Mara Glennie, founder of the TEARS Foundation, said of the summit: “A little less talk and a lot more action is needed to stop GBV.
She said: “For 16 Days of Activism, we are asking men to be champions to end violence against women and children. TEARS Foundation is (also) launching its Speak Up project. It aims to reach vulnerable population groups through a free youth-specific education service focusing on raising awareness of GBV behavioural contributors.
“We believe that supporting young people can help prevent violence and ensure that it is responded to appropriately. Youth involvement is needed if we are to successfully protect the next generation and change the discourse. We want youth to have the opportunity to have all the advice and care they need when they need it,” she said.
HELPFUL CONTACT NUMBERS
* TEARS Foundation’s help line can be reached by dialling *134*7355# (Free) or contact them on 010 590 5920 (24/7).
* Victims of domestic violence in SA needing help accessing shelter can contact Nisaa’s 24-hour toll-free Shelter Helpline on 0800 001 005. Alternatively, SMS, WhatsApp or Please Call Me to 082 057 8600 / 082 058 2215 / 072 230 7147, or send an email to: infohelpline@womenscentre.co.za
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