The Deputy Minister in the Presidency responsible for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Mmapaseka Steve Letsike, has reiterated the urgent need for a multisectoral approach to effectively end Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
Speaking at a mini plenary session in the National Assembly, on Friday, Letsike emphasised that addressing GBVF requires coordinated efforts across all sectors of society.
“This [approach] will help in bringing together government departments, civil society organisations, business, traditional leaders, and academic institutions to drive a coordinated efforts to confront GBVF as a national crisis and violation of human rights,” Letsike said.
Letsike led a debate on addressing Gender Based Violence and Femicide as a national crisis, during the National Assembly's mini plenary session, held in Cape Town, on Friday.
The Deputy Minister, who led the parliamentary debate on “addressing Gender Based Violence and Femicide as a national crisis”, said South Africa continues to face a grim reality of GBV, where violence against women and girls persists at alarming levels, and undermines the nation’s collective vision of a democracy rooted in the principles of inclusivity, or Ubuntu.
“The 2022 GBV Prevalence Study indicates that one in three women, roughly 7.3 million, have faced physical violence during their lives. This means nearly one in ten women report having encountered sexual violence, and over a quarter have suffered abuse from intimate partners,” Letsike said.
During her address, Letsike outlined key priority issues that required collective action towards ending the scourge of Gender Based Violence and Femicide in South Africa.
These include, among others:
• The evolution of government plans towards dealing with Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
• The government structures established to deal with GBVF.
• Educational and advocacy programmes available for societal consumption.
• Progress on the implementation of the GBVF National Strategic Plan towards ending Gender Based Violence and Femicide.
• A need for Education for young boys through the adoption of a bottom-up approach to GBVF.
Letsike also highlighted South Africa’s progress in strengthening the legal framework to address GBVF.
Parliament passed key legislative amendments, aimed at improving victim protection, enhancing access to justice, and ensuring stricter accountability for perpetrators.
Among the legislations passed include the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act, in 2021. – SAnews.gov.za
