Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remain a critical challenge that faces our society and, various departments have committed to tackling the scourge of GBVF.
These were some of the sentiments expressed by stakeholders during a virtual engagement with the Multi-Party Women’s Caucus in Parliament.
The engagement took stock of the commitments that were made by various departments and civil society organisations last year to tackle GBVF.
Departments and various organisations gave feedback on the implementation of some of the Pillars on the National Strategic Plan to tackle GBVF.
The first Pillar relates to accountability, coordination and leadership. The Director-General of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mikateko Maluleke read a statement on behalf of Minister Maite Nkoana-Mashabane.
She also touched on the recent brutal murder of a young final-year Forte Hare law student, Nosicelo Mtebeni.
“This past Monday, I visited the family of Nosicelo Mtebeni, who was brutally murdered at the University of Fort Hare. This is one young woman, who sadly paid the final sacrifice and became another statistic of femicide.
Behind the high GBVF statistics are young women, children, mothers, sisters, grandmothers and the LGBTQI persons, who have every right to be safe to live and realise their full human potential.”
The Communications and Digital Technologies Department says it has implemented various programmes, to tackle gender-based violence.
Government’s call to gender-based violence and femicide: Maite Nkoana-Mashabane:
Deputy Director-General for Governance Thulisile Manzini says: “As a department, we have implemented programmes with regard to GBV. There is also a need to expand these programmes to include matters of domestic violence and in this regard, we may need to review the financial resources available to do so.
And it’s something we have an opportunity for now as we are also busy with our APP to make sure that this is incorporated especially the financial part. And the implementing entities in the portfolio can play a role in assisting us to raise awareness on the existence of the Bill amongst citizens.”
Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Public Service and Administration, Charlotte Pilane-Majeke says her department is committed to implementing its national strategic plan to tackle GBVF.
“Gender-based violence and femicide continues to be a debilitating factor in terms of upliftment of the status of women in South Africa including sexual harassment.
The message from the Minister is that the Department of Public Service and Administration continues to be committed to our mandate in terms of the national strategic plan, Gender-based violence and femicide that has been put in place. We are responsible for three Pillars. Currently, we are just putting the focus on Pillar number one, which is accountability, coordination and leadership.”
Other Departments that made presentations on their progress to tackle GBVF, include Justice and Constitutional Development as well as Co-operative Governance and Traditional Affairs.
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