The United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) in partnership with key departments and civil society organisations has achieved a number of milestones, including:
– Reviewing and finalising of the 365 Days National Action Plan to end gender-based violence and initiation of its implementation;
– Conducting and finalising the national study on Violence against Women, and producing a government signature publication on violence against women, which will inform government programmes on gender-based violence prevention;
– Strengthening the capacity of 33 local community-based organisations to implement gender equality and human rights programmes in six priority districts in the Eastern Cape and Free State;
– Improving community engagement in social crime prevention and promotion of human rights through conducting 188 community dialogues, and establishing 38 community action teams;
– These are made up of community members who have committed themselves to mobilising their communities to take action to end violence against women and children;
– The programme also developed 173 community action plans in nine local municipalities in the Eastern Cape and Free State;
– Training and mentoring 212 community champions to implement violence prevention activities in different community settings. The community champions are mainly community leaders from various stakeholders including faith-based organisations and nongovernmental organisations. These leaders have taken a personal pledge to lead community awareness campaigns in various constituencies;
– Equipping over 6?406 men and boys with social change skills to improve prevention of violence against women and children in the Eastern Cape and Free State; and
– Increasing knowledge and awareness of traditional leaders on their role in preventing violence against women and children and promotion of human rights and gender equality.
A total of 171 traditional leaders from the Eastern Cape and Free State were trained in gender-based violence prevention, and community safety plans were developed for traditional councils.