Bringing hope to GBV survivors

REPORTING should give hope to victims of gender-based violence (GBV) victims.

A two-day regional conference, titled Prevention of violence against women and girls in southern Africa – from #Evidence2Action, started yesterday at the Indaba Hotel in Fourways, north of Joburg.

Social Development Deputy Minister Hendrietta Bogopane-Zulu said balanced reporting was important and urged the media not to solely focus on the abused but also give hope to South Africans when reporting on the scourge.

“We must find a balanced way, so that it is not gloom and doom all the time,” said Bogopane-Zulu.

She said in spite of the high statistics of violence, there is always a positive that can be taken.

“When a good person does something good, we must report it in the same energy,” Bogopane-Zulu said.

The main focus of the conference was to offer a unique space for policymakers, practitioners, scientists and private sector actors to come together to discuss new evidence on the prevention of violence and explore how to best translate research into policy and practice.

The conference was attended by more than 200 delegates which included civil society advocacy and activist groups, South African and Southern African Development Community (SADC) policymakers, social and community workers and more.

On the panel was British High Commissioner to South Africa Nigel Casey, German Ambassador Martin Schäfer and UN women policy specialist Kalliopi Mingeirou.

Mingeirou added that media plays an important role in reaching large parts of relations and they can change social norms.

“They can reach large parts of the population,” she said.

Casey said the conversation will engage everyone and it will start first with the victims because they need to be prioritised.

Schäfer said that while gender-based violence was a universal and global problem, Germany had decided to work in South Africa and partner with southern Africans because of the South African government’s commitment to fighting and ending the scourge.

“The root causes of violence against women and girls are multiple and deep-seated. We must unite to find the root causes of GBV and figure out how to stop it,” said Schäfer said.

Bogopane-Zulu announced the MyMeMeZa alarm keychain, which would be made available for R10, and should be used in emergency situations.

If the alarm goes off for more than five minutes, police will know your location and attend to you promptly. “MyMeMeZa will help break the silence,” she said.