A week before the country celebrates women, the Masimanyane Women’s Rights International organisation, in partnership with Bumbingomso and Black Sash, held a women empowerment workshop in East London.
The women in attendance engaged in discussions on Gender Based Violence (GBV) and femicide legislation, which was signed into law earlier this year.
According to statistics, one in five women in relationships have experienced physical violence by a partner, and many have suffered some kind of violence from men they know, or strangers.
During the GBV prevention and social protection awareness event the women, including clubs from Amalinda Forest, Nkqonkqweni, and Mdantsane’s NU 3, had round table discussions, exploring challenges in accessing social protection.
It was noted that the high rates of GBV and poverty in South Africa create a vicious cycle that traps women and girls in a cycle of violence and insecurity.
Black Sash, a human rights advocacy group which focuses on social justice in South Africa, raised awareness about the work they do in communities, which includes training people on the constitution, making people aware about the social grants that are available to them, and most importantly, how they can access them. Tomorrow, Friday August 9, the country will celebrate National Women’s Day.
