President Ramaphosa to hold dialogue on gender-based violence and femicide

President Cyril Ramaphosa will tomorrow, 25 November 2020, hold an interactive session with civil society formations to mark the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign. 

The virtual interactive session will comprise the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), representatives from the men’s sector, survivors of gender-based violence, leaders of faith communities and civil society organisations.

The dialogue will provide a platform for government and civil society to engage on issues raised by communities; discuss objectives of the campaign, and deliberate on the National Strategic Plan on GBVF. 

The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign is a United Nations campaign which takes place annually from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day).  

The other key commemorative days during this period include World Aids Day on the 1st December and the International Day for Persons with Disabilities, on 3 December.

This year’s 16 Days campaign will be observed under the theme “Women’s Economic Justice for a Non-Violent and Non-Sexist South Africa”. 

The official commemoration of 16 Days of Activism Campaign 2020 will commence across the nation by the raising of the South African Flag to half-mast at 06h00 tomorrow.

Deputy President David Mabuza will lead the half-masting ceremony at the Union Buildings. 

President Ramaphosa recently announced that from 25 to 29 November 2020, the nation would observe five days of mourning and remembrance for survivors and victims of GBVF and COVID-19 and that during this periodthe national flag would fly at half-mast throughout the country from 6am to 6pm.

The President also called on South Africans during this mourning period to wear black armbands or other signs of mourning to signify and respect those who departed.

The 16 Days campaign seeks to strengthen the implementation of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide by all social partners, and to expand on the call to action for men as partners and boys to stand against the rape and sexual abuse of women and children. 

It also seeks to increase awareness and drive change in relation to negative social norms and behaviour through multiple platforms, sectors and activism including technology, social media, culture and customs, the arts, journalism, faith-based organisations, the private sector, trade unions, the sports fraternity, the taxi industry, traditional leaders and the youth sector. 

The NSP on GBVF was approved by Cabinet in March 2020 and is based on the following six pillars:

·         Accountability, Leadership and Coordination

·         Prevention and Restoration of Social Fabric

·         Protection, Safety and Justice, 

·         Response, Care, Support and Healing

·         Economic Empowerment 

·         Research and Information systems

The virtual interactive session will be live streamed on government social media platforms and carried live on major TV news channels from 17h00 to 19h30. 


Media enquiries: Tyrone Seale, Acting Spokesperson to President Ramaphosa – media@presidency.gov.za 

Issued by: The Presidency
Pretoria