No nation can claim freedom while its women remain unsafe, unpaid, unseen, or excluded from the economy.
These remarks, made by Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Sindisiwe Chikunga, set the tone for government’s 2026/27 priorities, placing the fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) at the centre of South Africa’s development agenda.
Presenting the department’s Budget Vote in Parliament on Wednesday, Chikunga said government is intensifying efforts to strengthen a coordinated and multisectoral response to GBVF, anchored in the principle that women’s safety, dignity and economic empowerment are inseparable.
National council to lead GBVF response
Since the adoption of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, Chikunga highlighted that government has worked to strengthen a coordinated and multisectoral response to GBVF.
She said that in the 2026/27 financial year, this work will be accelerated following the classification of GBVF as a national disaster and the adoption of a Cabinet-approved action plan.
READ | Violence against women a national disaster that demands national action – President
A key priority will be supporting the establishment of the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which will lead and coordinate the country’s response to GBVF.
The Minister said the department will continue to strengthen the monitoring of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) 2020-2030 across government, Cabinet clusters and sectors.
“We will deepen prevention work through the Comprehensive National Prevention Strategy, particularly our flagship project – positive masculinity focused on boys; young men and older men, including targeted interventions in schools, communities and stakeholders.
“We will continue to strengthen GBVF Rapid Response Teams and support the 100-Day Challenge model, to resolve practical blockages in the justice and support systems. We will continue to advance women’s economic empowerment through programmes that open access to markets, finance, procurement and strategic value chains,” the Minister said.
Linking safety to economic empowerment
Chikunga emphasised that tackling GBVF cannot be separated from advancing women’s economic participation.
“We cannot speak of freedom if women remain excluded from the economy.”
She said the department will continue to roll out programmes that improve women’s access to markets, finance and procurement opportunities, including initiatives such as Women Economic Assembly (WECONA), Women in Trade, and the Women’s Cooperative Financial Institution.
Efforts will also focus on integrating women into key sectors of the economy, including agriculture, mining, manufacturing, oceans and the green economy.
“We will work with public and private sector partners to ensure that all women, irrespective of age, are not merely beneficiaries of development, but owners, producers, traders and leaders in the economy. This will include leveraging the critical Mineral strategy to place women and youth at the centre of South Africa’s mining expansion and industrial plans,” Chikunga said.
She also urged sectors to submit inputs on the Public Procurement Regulations published by the National Treasury for public comment.
READ | Have your say on draft procurement regulations
Expanding youth development programmes
As South Africa marks 50 years since the 1976 youth uprisings under the theme “Reset@50 – The Future Calls”, Chikunga said the department is scaling up interventions to address youth unemployment.
Through the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA), which has been allocated R1.8 billion, she said government aims to significantly expand youth development programmes.
Key targets for the year include funding at least 2 600 youth-owned small businesses, expanding paid service opportunities under the National Youth Service and Presidential Youth Employment Intervention from 40 000 to 100 000 young people, providing business development support to 23 500 youth, and supporting employment and job placement for more than 26 000 young people.
The Department will also develop a National Youth Fund Strategy to increase access to funding for youth-owned enterprises, particularly for young women; persons with disabilities; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) youth; and other marginalised young people.
Chikunga stressed the need to address barriers facing graduates, calling for greater opportunities for young people to gain work experience.
“As we fight to have all public service and private sector posts filled, no young person should be overlooked because of the so-called overqualification with no experience. Young people with qualifications must be given an opportunity to work and gain experience. Moreover, we wish to stress that, our call extends for those above the age of 35 years,” the Minister said. – SAnews.gov.za
