16 Days of Activism to focus on economic empowerment
This year’s 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence will focus on the economic empowerment of women and girls.
Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Maite Nkoana-Mashabane launched the campaign in Pretoria on Tuesday.
"The aim is to ensure safe workplaces and make sure we bury the scourge of GBV which has become a second pandemic. Even as we sign conventions in Geneva. We can sign all of these, but we must come back home and act.
"As a country, we have made a commitment to earmark 40% of preferential procurement for women-led business nationally. We are very good at coming up with all these life-changing initiatives, but all that we are short of is the doing," she said.
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Police Minister Bheki Cele said 8 000 women had reported being raped between June and September 2020.
He believes the economic empowerment of women is essential as most women are raped and abused in their own home by people they dependent on financially.
The campaign will kick off on Wednesday with a virtual launch to be addressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa.
