DEPARTMENT RAISES AWARENESS ON 16 DAYS OF ACTIVISM IN VIRTUAL SESSION

By Madali Chibambu

• Staff in the Gauteng Department of Social Development took part in a virtual awareness session at the launch of the national 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
• The session was set up in response to the alarming increase in violence and brutal attacks against women and children in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng.
• A variety of presentations were delivered, including from the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and the Queer Spirituality and Wellness Conference, with participants allowed to engage in question-and-answer sessions.

The Gauteng Department of Social Development, through its Gender, Youth, and Disability Mainstreaming unit, hosted a virtual awareness session as part of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.

Hosted under the theme “Letsema: Men, women, boys, and girls working together to end gender-based violence and femicide”, the session on 26 November 2025 targeted 100 internal officials across the department.

Letsema, a Sesotho word meaning voluntary communal work, emphasises collective responsibility in addressing social challenges.

Gender, Youth, and Disability Mainstreaming unit director, Phumla Xaba, said the session was convened in response to the alarming increase in violence and brutal attacks against women and children in South Africa, particularly in Gauteng.

“The purpose of this session was to intensify awareness and strengthen efforts to end gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism period,” Xaba explained.

She highlighted that the campaign forms a critical part of the government’s broader 365 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children programme.

During this period, the government partners with civil society and the private sector to conduct community dialogues and sector-specific activities aimed at building a united front against gender-based violence and femicide.

Stakeholders invited to present included the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation and the Queer Spirituality and Wellness Conference.

GPeGOV encouraged participants to utilise the panic button app available for download on mobile devices to enhance personal safety.

Reverend Itumeleng Kgapole from the Queer Spirituality and Wellness movement spoke on the unique vulnerabilities faced by the LGBTQIA+ community, adding depth to the discussion.

Participants were also allowed to engage with speakers through a question-and-answer session following each presentation.

The World Health Organisation reports that one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual gender-based violence, either from an intimate partner or a non-partner.

These experiences lead to serious short- and long-term consequences, including mental, physical, sexual, and reproductive health complications.