South Africa has set on a path to improve the way shelters for survivors of violence are being run.
Social Development Minister Lindiwe Zulu says her department has started implementing the recommendations made in the report titled ‘State of Shelters in South Africa’.
The systemic investigative report, which was conducted and released by the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE) in 2019, revealed a number of weaknesses, including lack of funding for shelters and poor implementation of policies that are meant to guide operations at shelters.
Further, the report showed that there was no standardised approach to accommodate and assist survivors of GBV from the LGBTIQA+ [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual and other diverse sexual orientations and gender identities] community. This often leads to discrimination and unfair treatment.
The report recommended that Social Development takes action to rectify these systemic weakness by, among others, finalising the policy aimed at ensuring fair treatment of victims from the LGBTIQA+, and setting a clearly communicated complaints process for survivors to report any discrimination on the part of a shelter.
It also recommended that the department, in consultation with key stakeholders, must set the educational requirements and core skills needed for workers at the shelters.
Zulu said R50 million has been allocated from the criminal asset recovery account to support shelters.
“It’s one thing to have shelters, it’s another to have shelters that are not really giving the necessary support. This means that people in those shelters need to be properly trained and the shelters must really respond.
“Cabinet has also approved the publication of the Victim Support Services Bill for public comment. The bill will go a long way in addressing some of the problematic areas identified by the CGE,” Zulu said.
The bill provides a framework to guide and inform the provision of integrated and multi-disciplinary services aimed at addressing the needs of victims of crime and violence.
It also serves as a guide for the effective management and regulation of services within the victim empowerment sector, and is a basis for the development of the victim empowerment legislation in South Africa.
The bill describes the target groups as women, children, older persons, people with disabilities, farm workers and dwellers, LGBTQI+, men and boys as victims, foreign nationals, people with albinism, and other victims of crime and violence.
Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia de Lille has also handed over six additional properties in the Western Cape and two in Gauteng to be used as safe havens for women and children, who are victims of abuse.
The facilities, which have been handed over to Social Development, will go a long way to help the department to better coordinate and strengthen the ongoing national efforts to respond effectively to gender-based violence and femicide.
The services to be rendered at the centres will include psychosocial support, healthcare and legal services, among others. The centres will be open and accessible 24 hours, seven days a week. – SAnews.gov.za
