A NATION CONVENES: SOUTH AFRICA UNITES IN URGENT RESPONSE TO GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE AND FEMICIDE

By DSD News

• The government launched the 90-Day Accelerated Programme on GBVF in response to mounting pressure from civil society and women’s organisations.
• ⁠The programme fast-tracked interventions addressing Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
• ⁠A high-level Roundtable with government leaders and civil society stakeholders was convened to assess service gaps, evaluate preventive efforts, and create a coordinated, victim-centred response.

In the face of an unrelenting crisis, South Africa is taking a bold and necessary step forward in its fight against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF). Despite the existence of comprehensive laws and national strategies—chief among them the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on GBVF—many victims still navigate a system fraught with delays, disjointed services, and a glaring absence of trauma-informed support.
These failures are not just procedural—they are deeply personal. For countless women and children across the country, the system meant to protect them has become another source of trauma.
In recent months, the cries for change have grown louder. Women’s organisations, civil society groups, and political entities such as the Women’s League submitted multiple petitions highlighting the state’s inadequate response to GBVF. These submissions laid bare the deep-rooted systemic issues that continue to undermine justice and protection for the most vulnerable.
In response to these urgent calls, the South African government launched the 90-Day Accelerated Programme on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide, a focused national intervention driven by the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cluster. Co-chaired by the Department of Justice and Constitutional Development and the Department of Social Development, the programme was rolled out through the National Joint Operational and Intelligence Structure (NatJoints).
At the heart of this initiative were six dedicated workstreams, each tasked with addressing a critical component of the GBVF response—from improving victim services and institutional accountability to enhancing prevention and access to justice.
A pivotal element of the programme was the GBVF Roundtable, an urgent convening of national leaders, government departments, and civil society partners. More than a meeting, the Roundtable represented a national reckoning—a moment to confront past failures and chart a bold, unified course forward.
This platform aims to address the concerns raised in recent petitions directly. It seeks to identify and close persistent gaps in service delivery, strengthen preventative measures, and reinforce the efficiency and compassion of the justice system. Above all, it reaffirms the commitment of the South African government and its partners to place survivors at the centre of the national response.
As the country confronts the painful reality of GBVF, the message from this gathering is clear: The time for decisive, coordinated action is now.