President Ramaphosa to ‘lead South Africa in preventing further violence against women’
The president praised the steering committee for their progress in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) and the Emergency Response Action Plan (ERAP).
Yesterday (30 April), a crucial action plan aimed at combating gender-based violence and femicide was handed to President Cyril Ramaphosa during a virtual meeting with the Interim Steering Committee on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).
For years, South African women have been asking for one coherent and co-ordinated approach to combat gender-based violence and femicide. While gender-based violence continued in millions of homes across the country, government’s scattered approach did little to alleviate the plight of our country’s women. Ramaphosa said a change has been prioritised.
It was an emotional moment for Advocate Brenda Madumise-Pajibo who did the online handover. “We can’t continue to lose women because patriarchy and the standing of men in this country allow us to do so.” She said that the action plan demands pulling in all available resources to prevent incidents of GBVF.
During the meeting, President Ramaphosa was praised for prioritising a consolidated approach to end the scourge of violence against women and girls. The decision to do so was made last year, following public outrage against a series of violent crimes committed against women.
Read more: South Africa’s shocking gender-based violence statistics
“You will lead South Africa in preventing further violence against women,” Madumise-Pabijo said to the president, who acknowledged that ‘South Africa is one of the most dangerous places in the world to be a woman’.
The president praised the steering committee for their progress in the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) and the Emergency Response Action Plan (ERAP).
- The ERAP focuses on five key intervention areas:
- Access to justice for victims and survivors
- Changing norms and behaviour through high-level prevention efforts
- Urgently responding to victims and survivors of GBV
- Strengthening accountability and architecture to respond to the scourge of GBVF adequately.
United Nations representatives indicated their satisfaction with the document and that it meets UN standards.
