UNFPA presenting the "Safer South Africa for Women and Children" programme during the MenEngage 2nd Global Symposium
South Africa is often called “a world in one country” because of the contrast between its technologically advanced cities and the struggling informal settlements; an advanced economy rivalling that of the developed world co-existing with another that has only the most basic infrastructure; and the variety of people and cultures which make up the South African rainbow nation.
Gender-based violence is a significant problem in South Africa. Women and children are exposed to sexual abuse, psychological abuse, physical violence, sexual exploitation, trafficking, domestic violence and other harmful practices.
The South African Police Service confirmed a total number of 62 649 reported cases of sexual offences in the period 2013/2014, and most perpetrators are known by their victim. Statistics South Africa’s Victims of Crime Survey revealed in 2012 that about 44.1% of victims of sexual offences from a selected sample group were attacked by a known community member or members from their area; 17% were assaulted by a relative. Only 15.4% stated that the perpetrators were people unknown to them and were from outside their area.
UNFPA is the lead UN agency that supports the rights of women and young people and ensures they lead healthy, sexual and reproductive lives. UNFPA is working for a South Africa where every pregnancy is wanted, every childbirth is safe, and every young person’s potential is fulfilled.
UNFPA provides support to government and civil society organisations that work towards preventing gender-based violence in South Africa, promotes legal and policy reforms and the generates gender-sensitive data to inform programmes that empower women economically. The organisation fights for gender equality, questions prevailing socio-cultural norms and engages men in the process of reducing gender-based violence.
In 2012, with funding from the United Kingdom’s department of international development, UNFPA in partnership with The United Nations Children’s Fund and Save the Children South Africa launched the joint programme on “A Safer South Africa for Women and Children: Improved Security and Justice for Women, Girls and Boys”.
The programme is designed to strengthen national prevention mechanisms to reduce violence against women and children. This is being achieved through a primary focus on prevention of violence and a secondary focus on improving access to existing response services in communities.
UNFPA works in partnership with key government departments and civil society organisations such as the Sonke Gender Justice Network, loveLife, and the National Institute for Community Development and Management (See Progress in the making).
There is emerging global evidence that investments in community-based multi-sectoral violence prevention programmes targeting both men and women are more effective and bring about long-term social change. UNFPA will continue to address the persistent high levels of violence against women and children in the country that have devastating implications on the well-being of individuals, families, communities and the country itself.