President Cyril Ramaphosa has called for the mobilisation of resources required for effective behavioural change programmes that link up with efforts of social partners in communities to address the attitudes and actions of men.
“We need to reach out to boys and young men to develop masculinities that value respect, understanding and accountability,” President Ramaphosa said.
The President said the country is confronted with an immensely difficult task to turn the mindsets of the men of our country around.
He said that the country needs to be united in the fight against gender-based violence and femicide, as government, civil society, and organisation cannot do it alone.
“These are men who are intoxicated often with their sense of masculinity, intoxicated with the sense that they are superior to the women of our country, and intoxicated with patriarchy believing that they are much more important than the women of our country.
“This is the task that we have on our hands and this is a task that we need to win together. The road ahead will be long [and] will also be challenging, but it is a road that we must walk together…..it is a road that we must walk together with determination so that women and children of this country may live in safety, peace and happiness,” the President said on Tuesday.
He also emphasised the need for organising the men’s dialogues in every part of society, including the workplace, schools colleges and universities, government departments, municipalities, and in every community.
Delivering his key note address during the Second Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF), currently underway at Midrand, the President commended the project by Prime Stars, which, in collaboration with government focuses on redefining masculinity among young men, as a good example.
“This programme needs to be rolled out to all the schools in the country. We need to see the President, Ministers, Premiers, religious leaders, sports people, artists, educators, business leaders and many others participating in various dialogues, outreach and awareness-raising activities.”
Private sector called to join hands in availing more resources
The President also called on the private sector, in particular, to join hands with government, as they did with the Solidarity Fund – to make more resources available where they are needed the most.
During the Joint Sitting of Parliament in 2019, the President called for government departments to allocate the necessary resources to combat gender-based violence.
As a result, in February 2021, government announced the allocation of approximately R21 billion over three years to implement the various components of the National Strategic Plan (NSP).
A significant portion of these funds has been committed to advancing the empowerment of women through procurement, business support and access to economic opportunities.
“Funds have also been directed to expanding support to survivors, strengthening the response of the criminal justice system and undertaking prevention programmes. The Department of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation has been tracking expenditure of the R21 billion allocated over the medium-term.
“We need to ensure that our resources are being directed to where there is the greatest need and where they have the greatest impact. Last year we established a private sector-led Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Response Fund 1, which received a commitment of R162 million and has to date funded 112 grant partners,” the President said.
Source: South African Government News Agency