By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Minister in the Presidency responsible for women, youth, and persons with disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, has called on all South Africans to support the country’s ongoing efforts to combat Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBV-F), including incidents committed by intimate partners and family members.
Chukunga described the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide (GBV-F) as a national crisis.
“There is an urgent need to invest adequate resources to respond to the GBV-F pandemic and all forms of discrimination by society and the government,” she said.
Chikunga said despite decades of activism, advocacy, and efforts by both government and non-government actors, recent studies indicate that there has been insufficient progress in addressing intimate partner violence and related forms of violence.”
“While our government has heeded this call and elevated the fight against GBV-F into one of its top priorities, we are the first to acknowledge that, in the past 30 years of democratic dispensation, the plight of women and girls in South Africa has remained deplorable and far from ideal.”
As the 7th administration begins, Chikunga emphasised the need for new strategies in the fight against GBVF.
“The master’s tools will not destroy the master’s house. We need new tools, and we need them urgently,” she said.
Chikunga highlighted the need for systemic change across various sectors, including education, religion, culture, sports, and the arts.
“Our values and practices must be scrutinised and deliberately repurposed to combat patriarchal chauvinism in all areas of life,” she said.
“We need systemic change, and as a department, we are committed to enforcing gender equality throughout government and society as a constitutional imperative and not as an afterthought that emerges when the next victim is lying cold, “said Chikunga.
She also called for enhanced community intelligence to ensure justice’s served, involving researchers, scholars, advocates, and activists who can provide detailed insights from communities directly affected by violence.
President Cyril Ramaphosa meanwhile said, they will continue to implement the National Strategic Plan on gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide, and expand victim support services, like the Thuthuzela Centres and GBV desks in police stations.
The president made the remarks during his Opening of Parliament Address (OPA at the Cape Town City Hall.
“We have enacted into law the Gender-Based Violence And Femicide (GBVF) Council, which will oversee and coordinate GBV programmes across government and in partnership with all stakeholders,” the President said.