Durban — Anglo American Platinum donated R21 million to support 20 facilities that help gender-based violence victims and vulnerable youth across South Africa.
The money is intended to help improve the facilities, help them function and provide quality services for the abused survivors and vulnerable youth.
According to the company, the programme also seeks to economically empower survivors identified through these facilities.
The Executive Head of Corporate Yvonne Mfolo said even with the decreased number of latest reported incidents issued by the South African Police Service Crime Statistics, gender-based violence is far from over.
“It is crucial to provide quality and reliable support and services to survivors of gender-based violence in globally, so that survivors don’t rely on informal social support rather than accessing formal services. That’s why we are extending our gender-based violence programme through our long-standing partners who are keen on the needs of communities,” said Mfoto.
Furthermore, she said the programme is critical to the ongoing success of the future wellbeing of the communities.
CEO Tracey Henry from of Tshikululu Social Investment that has partnered with Anglo American Platinum said gender-based violence and femicide are a national crisis, and they demand a national response.
“The private sector has a vital role to play in devising programmes that will raise awareness, lead to action, and result in behavioural change. But we also know this cannot happen overnight, so it’s vital that programmes of this nature are extended, and that we don’t lose momentum,” she said.
Crime stats reports states that every day in South Africa three children and 10 women are killed, and 160 women are assaulted with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm.
And, while those same statistics point to an overall decrease in South Africa’s gender-based violence figures, with sexual offences decreasing by 35.9% between July and September this year, and the murder of women and children decreasing by 10.9% and 7.0% respectively in the same period, the numbers are still unacceptably high.
The programme has reached to 17 750 through door-to-door interventions, men and boys’ dialogues, gender-based violence campaigns and response efforts such as psychosocial and legal support.
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