Eastern Cape: Universities in the Eastern Cape, in collaboration with the Commission for Gender Equality (CGE), are hosting a conference on gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) at institutions of higher learning. The General Practitioners Community of Practice Conference is scheduled from 3 – 5 December 2024 and is being hosted by the University of Fort Hare, Walter Sisulu University, Rhodes University, Nelson Mandela University, and Higher Health.

According to South African Government News Agency, the conference is organized under the theme ‘From Policy to Practice: Enhancing Accountability in GBV Responses and Gender Transformation in Higher Education Institutions’. This initiative is part of the Gender Practitioners’ Community of Practice (CoP), established by the University of the Witwatersrand in 2021, aimed at fostering collaboration among gender practitioners across South African universities. The CoP emphasizes that universities, as microcosms of various communities, are not immune to issues of
gender-based violence and femicide.

The CGE has conducted legal investigations over the years into universities’ systems to halt GBVF and promote gender equity and transformation on campuses. Their findings indicate that many institutions fall short in their policies and procedures for addressing this critical issue. Central to the conference discussions is the Department of Higher Education and Training’s policy framework on gender-based violence, which mandates institutions to develop comprehensive strategies for GBV prevention. This includes creating and implementing clear policies, effective reporting mechanisms, and integrating GBVF awareness into the academic curriculum.

The key objectives of the conference are to enhance the capacity of higher education institutions to implement and enforce existing GBVF policies while ensuring transparency, consistent reporting, and accountability. Additionally, the conference aims to facilitate discussions on bridging the gap between policy commitments and practica
l, measurable actions on campuses, as well as provide a platform for institutions to share best practices and innovative approaches to GBV prevention, support, and policy implementation.