On 21 November, the South African government officially declared Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) a national disaster. This announcement came days ahead of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign which runs from 25 November to 10 December every year calling for global solidarity to end violence against women and children worldwide.
This year, the campaign is held under the theme: “Letsema: Men, Women, Boys and Girls working together to end GBVF.”
South Africa continues to rank among the countries with the highest femicide rates in the world, as recognised in the National Strategic Plan on GBVF. Femicide in the country is five times higher than the global average and intimate partner killings remain a daily reality.
Statistics South Africa’s most recent Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey (GPSJS 2023/24) shows that:
- 295 000 individuals experienced assault in the last year and 23% of these assaults happened inside the home. Sexual offences remain persistently high, with thousands of women and children victimised every year.
- Only 1.9% of assault survivors received counselling, showing how deeply under-resourced and overstretched our psychosocial support systems remain.
- 80% of women feel unsafe walking alone at night, and many report taking drastic measures to protect themselves, including limiting their movement.
As the 16 Days Campaign begins, citizens are urged to take part in activities, support survivors, and use available services for assistance. Government has also called on communities, civil society organisations, faith based groups, and individuals to join forces in preventing abuse, supporting survivors, and holding perpetrators accountable.
National Helplines:
- Gender Based Violence Command Centre 0800 428 428.
- Stop Gender Violence Helpline 0800 150 150
- SMS Line *120*7867#
- Childline South Africa 08000 55 555
- National Crisis Line 086 132 2322
