16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence

On the 27 November 2014 Sonke Gender Justice in collaboration with 35 organisations, participated in rallies across South Africa calling for a national action plan against gender-based violence (GBV). In South Africa, more than a thousand women are killed every year by an intimate partner, approximately a million rapes occur per year, and GBV threatens economic growth by draining an estimated more than 40 billion Rand (more than 1% from the GDP) a year.

The campaign aims to tell government to stop paying empty lip service to GBV, and to urgently develop and implement a comprehensive and fully funded national strategic plan to prevent, combat and respond to GBV. The International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflicts has joined Sonke Gender Justice, and other organisations for the 16 Days of Activism against GBV.

During the 16 Days of Activism, Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) will rally together to inform Minister Susan Shabangu, the Minister of Women in the Presidency that they are angry that earlier efforts (and promises) to develop a national plan to combat GBV have been put on hold, that the National Council on GBV has been suspended without any clear direction on who will now lead a national effort to address GBV in South Africa, and that the national plan is continuously being shortchanged and sidelined.

A petition “End the Violence: Commit to a National Plan on Gender-Based Violence”, addressed to the Minister has been put together. To support the cause, sign the petition by clicking on this link.

#16Days tech-in on three keys to ending violence in conflict

On the 3 December 2014, at 10 AM EST the International Campaign to Stop Rape & Gender Violence in Conflicts will be launching its “Stop Rape in Conflict Campaign”. On the day the organisation will engaging people through a #16Days tech-in on three keys to ending violence in conflict. Information will be shared on what support activists need from the global community, and how you can share their call to action. Connect with the campaign on Twitter and share your questions. Follow the teach-in at @StopRapeCmpgn.

For more information, visit Stop Rape and Gender Violence.