PRESS RELEASE
TO: All Media
ATT: News Editors, Human Rights Reporters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, 14 November 2022
The Siyandhani Traditional Authority in Limpopo Province has accepted a joint proposal for a collaborative approach to fight against Gender Based Violence and Femicide in the Limpopo province. The collaboration between the royal council and the Foundation for Human Rights follows a longstanding relationship between the two organisations where the Masibambisane Programme has a footprint. The Siyandhani Traditional Authority committed its royal council to host an annual event in August to commemorate women’s month and to raise awareness on Gender Based Violence and Femicide in Giyani working hand in hand with the Foundation for Human Rights.
Against the backdrop of the global theme “UNITE! Activism to end violence against women and girls”, the Foundation for Human Rights is set to kick start it’s 16 Days of Activism campaign on dialogues focusing on Rape and Violence. The Gender Programme Manager Dr Litlhare Rabele will be delivering a keynote address on Domestic Violence & Rape under the theme “Socio-Economic Rights and Empowerment to build Women’s Resilience against Gender Based Violence and Femicide” at an event hosted by Statistics South Africa on the 25th of November 2022.
The keynote address ties in closely with the recent site visits at the Community Based Organisations and the ongoing community based engagements that are currently continuing as part of the Masibambisane programmes’ capacity building of its community based organisations with the most recent training of field workers on the Masibambisane GBV survey, held in the North West Province at Rustenburg on Thursday the 10th of November 2022.
The Masibambisane GBV survey is targeted at girls and women aged 15 years and older and collects data that is reported and monitored in real time through a cloud based system. The collected data will be used in conjunction with other exiting data to map out the extent of violence women and girls experience and help improve the services offered to them by services providers such as the SAPS and mapping out the best way to prevent such violence in the future.
“We continue the social justice and human rights agenda through our community based models on addressing GBVF and the dialogues and engagements help the Foundation for Human Rights as an organisation that stands firmly believes in the Constitution of South Africa and the Bill of Rights” says Rabele.
Litlhare adds that important to note is that the “justice and holding government accountable is part of the bigger agenda that needs critical intervention to address and revert GBVF. And as such, partnering with traditional councils such as Siyandhani Traditional Council ascends the conversation and brings in an inclusionary approach on dialogues around legalisation strategic plans by the government such as the National Strategic Plan On Gender-Based Violence & Femicide” comments Dr Litlhare.
The Foundation for Human Rights holds in high regards that the 16 Days campaign happens alongside key commemorative days that include World Aids Day on the 1st December, the International Day for Persons with Disabilities on 3 December and the International Human Rights day on 10 December where the issues around social justice need to be raised even further.
The partnership with Siyandhani Traditional Council echoes the vision of the Foundation by infusing a rights-based approach based on participation, accountability, non-discrimination, empowerment and legislation that protects rights of the vulnerable.
ENDS
Media inquiries:
Kholekile Mnisi – 065-613-0977
Media and Communications Specialist
