Ramaphosa decries SA being among countries with highest levels of GBVF

President Cyril Ramaphosa said it’s a shame that South Africa has the dubious distinction of having one of the world’s highest levels of violence against women and girls.

South Africa is among the nations marking sixteen days of activities against gender-based violence, which ends on Wednesday.

Writing in his weekly newsletter, Ramaphosa said government has classified gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) as a national disaster in recognition that dealing with the scourge demands exceptional measures.

According to a 2022 study by the Human Sciences Research Council, more than a third of South African women 18 and older have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime.

In the majority of cases, the perpetrator was an intimate partner.

Ramaphosa said that by classifying GBVF as a national disaster, the mandates of respective government departments are strengthened.

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The classification allows for expanded access to shelters and safe spaces, as well as psychosocial counselling and community-based prevention programmes.

It will also enable faster emergency resource allocation for survivor services, enhanced monitoring and reporting, as well as strengthen oversight.

Affected organs of state will be required to submit progress reports to the National Disaster Management Centre on the actions they are taking.

But Ramaphosa has reiterated that unless men are directly engaged, the statistics won’t change.

He said this is not a fight to be waged by women alone, and the national disaster classification will include accelerating prevention programmes targeting men and boys.