NATIONAL SHELTER INDABA TO TAKE STOCK OF PROGRESS IN THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE NATIONAL STRATEGIC PLAN ON GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE

• Four years after the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF) was implemented, the Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the National Shelter Movement of South Africa, will host the annual National Shelter Indaba to assess progress on Pillar 4: Response, Care, Support, and Healing.
• Under the theme “Progressive Sheltering: Strengthening Shelters in South Africa,” the Indaba aims to address pressing issues affecting GBV victims and survivors, with a focus on expanding and standardising shelter services for vulnerable communities, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, older persons, and those with disabilities.
• This year’s Indaba occurs against the backdrop of a significant ruling from the Pretoria High Court on 30 September 2024, which declared several sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act unconstitutional, highlighting the urgent need for reform in addressing sexual violence.

Four years since the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF) came into effect, the Department of Social Development, in collaboration with the National Shelter Movement of South Africa, will host the annual National Shelter Indaba to take stock of progress in the implementation of Pillar 4: Response, Care, Support, and Healing of the NSP on GBVF.

The Indaba, to be held under the theme “Progressive Sheltering: Strengthening Shelters in South Africa,” will bring together a diverse array of strategic and relevant stakeholders, creating a national platform to address pressing issues impacting the sheltering of GBV victims and survivors in South Africa. Social Development is the lead government department in implementing Pillar 4 of the NSP. In 2019, President Cyril Ramaphosa officially declared GBVF a national pandemic and called for a whole-of-Government and whole-of-society approach to tackle this crisis head-on.

The Indaba forms part of measures to fast-track the outcomes of the recommendations from the 2022 Presidential Summit on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, which recommended, among other things, that the Department of Social Development expand shelter services and standardise the funding model for non-governmental organisations that provide shelter services in South Africa. It further seeks to drive improvements in GBV sheltering practices through the adoption and implementation of best practices that provide gender-responsive, evidence-based, professional medical and therapeutic care to meet all the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of GBV survivors across the age spectrum.

The programme for the two-day Indaba will include panel discussions and presentations from representatives of government and civil society organisations, focusing on the services provided in shelters, addressing gaps, and improving access to shelter services for vulnerable and marginalised communities, including LGBTQIA+ individuals, older persons, and persons with disabilities.

The National Shelter Movement of South Africa plays a pivotal role in the implementation of Pillar 4 of the NSP on GBVF and is an umbrella body for 99 shelters across the country. These shelters provide essential care and support services for individuals affected by gender-based violence (GBV), offering safety, counselling, healing, and empowerment to survivors as they rebuild their lives and work to interrupt and break the cycle of violence.

The National Shelter Indaba occurs against the backdrop of a recent landmark judgment delivered on 30 September 2024 by the Pretoria High Court, which declared several sections of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 32 of 2007 unconstitutional. These provisions were found to inadequately address sexual violence where the perpetrator held an unreasonable belief in the complainant’s consent, thereby permitting a flawed defence in cases of sexual assault. The Indaba will take place on Wednesday and Thursday, 16 and 17 October 2024 respectively, at 10:00, at the Sky Hotel, located at 150 Corner West Street and Maude Street, Sandton, Gauteng Province.