Strategic context: GBVF in South Africa

Strategic Context: GBVF in South Africa

South Africa, sadly, has a fertile ground for violence

South Africa is a deeply violent society and continues to wrestle with the impact of decades of institutionalised racism, sexism, exclusion, structural violence and other factors that have continued to undermine human development and positive social cohesion.

South Africa’s global peace index ranking resembles that of a country at war, with one of the highest murder rates found globally outside of a war zone.

The Victims of Crime Survey reports year on year reveal increased crime levels.

The National Strategic Plan on GBVF was adopted in 2020 as a society-wide programme to end gender-based violence and femicide. It is organised around six pillars, which are aimed at prevention of GBV, strengthening the criminal justice response to GBV, and providing support, care and healing to survivors of gender-based violence.

The Six Pillars of the NSP

The NSP is divided into 6 pillars each with a focus area, problem analyses, strategic principles and key deliverables.

Click on a pillar to see more detail.

The Vision of the NSP on GBVF

A South Africa free from gender-based violence directed at women, children and LGBTQIA+ persons.

The purpose of the NSP

The purpose is to provides a multi-sectoral, coherent strategic policy and programming framework to ensure a coordinated national response to the crisis of gender-based violence and femicide by the government of South Africa and the country as a whole.

Guiding principles

Multi-sectoral: To harness the roles, responsibilities & resources of all stakeholders.

Active & Meaningful Participation: Of communities, civil society & those affected by GBVF in the design & implementation #Whole SocietyApproach.

Human Rights & Survivor Centred: Approach to the provision of services that reaches all, without the risk of financial hardship.

Inclusive: Intergenerational, youth-friendly approach embracing Diversity, & Intersectionality.

Spirit of the NSP

The NSP is founded on women constitutionally entrenched right to be free from all forms of violence, also emphasised by the 24 demands delivered by the #TheTotalShutdown movement, the Declaration emerging from the 2018 Presidential Summit on GBVF.

The NSP acknowledges the equality of all genders and aims to free our society from the clutches of violence, homophobia, chauvinism and misogyny. Inclusiveness, embracing diversity and intersectionality, recognising the importance of centring women’s experience most marginalised by poverty, race, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and nationality.

The NSP symbolises collective accountability and responsibility, promoting an all-inclusive society approach.

Pillar detail extracted from “Get to know your NSP” produced by the DWYPD

End GBVF Collective

The End GBVF Collective is South Africa’s biggest single volunteer network in tackling the scourge of gender-based violence and femicide. The Collaborative platform was created as an informal and voluntary platform, open to all stakeholders involved in GBVF response in South Africa. It is undergirded by a strong Coordination and Communication structure. The collaborative platform creates space for stakeholders from government, civil society, development agencies, and private citizens to think and plan together. Participants find expression of their interests and skills by joining one or more of the six pillars.

Pillar Teams focus on the implementation of priority interventions of the NSP whilst the Coordination and Communication Teams serve as venues for the work of the Pillars and the collaborative as a whole. Pillar team members also attend monthly Collaborative meetings which bring together all Pillars to facilitate mutual learning and collaboration.

Join the End GBVF Collaborative Whatsapp community and become part of a Pillar team and the Movement to End GBVF.