Minister Chikunga calls on South African men to lead the call to end GBVF

Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, says the alarming high rates of gender-based violence and femicide make being a woman in South Africa more dangerous than being in war-torn areas.

During the final three months of 2023, 285 children and 1135 women were murdered, and 18 474 women and 2281 children were violently assaulted.

Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) is a phenomenon that drives numerous acts of violence against women, children and persons with disabilities.

Chikunga welcomed the Presidential GBVF Pledge as a persuading Message to men to lead the call to end GBVF.

‘’Globally, Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) remains a multifaceted social issue in the 21st century. Despite the ratification of international treaties and national laws, South Africa continues to have alarmingly high levels of GBVF, which were worsened during the COVID-19 national lockdown.’’

“The Criminal Justice System cannot end GBVF, but it is men who can end it, we urge all men in the country to attach their signatures to the Presidential GBVF Pledge as a demonstration of their commitment to end the scourge of GBVF,” said Minister Chikunga;

‘’The government has over the years brought forward several strategies to fight against GBVF by introducing Extensive legal reform; Support for survivors through the provision of evidence kits at police stations; Psychological and social services; The establishment of a GBVF Response Fund and Support for Thuthuzela and Khuseleka Care Centres, which provide vital services for GBV survivors. The broader spectrum of gender-based violence is rooted in interrelated patriarchal inequities, political economy, power relations, and social reproduction. With now National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act in place it calls for the establishment of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide which will be responsible for providing strategic leadership on the elimination of GBVF in South Africa,’’ concluded Chikunga

President @CyrilRamaphosa leads the signing of a Pledge for South African men to end gender-based violence and femicide. The President has called on all South African men to make a pledge to be part of the solution. #endGBVF #WomensDay#WomensMonth2024 pic.twitter.com/aj8vbohQqM

— The Presidency 🇿🇦 (@PresidencyZA) August 9, 2024

 

Done By: Mitchum George