Addressing SA’s second epidemic
Until everyone is free, no-one is free.. South Africa has made great strides towards deracialising society and affirming the rights of all citizens , as well as in advancing gender equality, we acknowledge that more still needs to be done.
With a past steeped in racism, sexism and inequality, South Africa remains committed to advancing the rights of all citizens.
Despite a Constitution grounded in the protection of human rights, the country continues to face a gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) crisis, which undermines all human rights efforts amongst others with the femicide rate at 4.8 times higher than the global average.
President Cyril Ramaphosa refers GBVF as South Africa’s ‘second epidemic’ in the midst of the Covid19 pandemic, making the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, which starts on 25 November, one of the nation’s most important awareness programmes.
It is fitting that Disability Awareness Month is also marked in November, because women and girls with disabilities are at even greater risk of abuse and inequality, in that they face both gender and disability discrimination.
This year, new legislation and a new multi-stakeholder initiative to advance women’s economic empowerment and inclusion add an element of hope to a grim reality.
The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, Domestic Violence Amendment Bill and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment
Bill have been approved and are soon expected to be signed into law. The new laws will ensure the criminal and legal system is empowered to take tougher action against perpetrators of violence against women and the vulnerable.
Another bill on the horizon, the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill, will establish the legal framework for the creation of the National Council on GBVF. This multi-sectoral, independent advisory body will ensure that the nation’s GBVF plans and policies are properly implemented.
Other milestones include the designation of 32 regional courts as sexual offences courts, the training of around 3 500 Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences investigating officers, and the R141 million in pledges raised by the GBVF Private Sector Response Fund.
While swifter justice and harsher sentences might act as a deterrent to abusers, empowered women with the financial means to make life-changing decisions are also less likely to be marginalised and abused.
To this end, the Women Economic Assembly was inaugurated in October. This initiative will foster the participation of women-owned businesses in the mainstream economy, through preferential procurement policies, among others.
Despite the advancement of women being a national imperative for over two decades, women remain woefully under-represented in big business, earn substantially less, and face bigger employment challenges (37% of women are unemployed, as opposed to 32% of men).
All government departments, public institutions and private companies can use procurement mechanisms and capacity-building programmes to help improve the economic circumstances of women.
This, in turn, will reduce their vulnerability to abuse and violence, because they will no longer be dependent on their abusers, or be without the means to change their circumstances.
The question to be answered by all leaders in the public service is: What am I doing, in my personal life and professional role, to advance gender equality?