September 16, 21:21IOL

National Shelter Meeting Calls for Strengthening Measures Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide

During the sixth National Shelter Meeting held in Gauteng on Wednesday, Minister of Social Development Dina Pule emphasized the need to strengthen both national and global efforts to prevent gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF).

This year's theme was set as 'Social Integration of GBVF Interventions.' Delegates from the Department of Social Development (DSD), the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), and shelter representatives noted during the meeting in Gauteng on Wednesday the need for closer cooperation and collective action to address GBVF issues.

The Department stated that since its establishment in 2021, this meeting has served as an important professional platform for officials, participants, and stakeholders striving to eradicate GBVF, allowing them to exchange knowledge, experience, and lessons learned.

Furthermore, the meeting provides participants with an opportunity to develop strategies for effectively addressing the problems, gaps, and challenges affecting the provision of services to affected women and their children.

Promoting Social Cohesion

One of the topics discussed on the first day of the meeting was tolerance. Government and shelter representative organizations agreed that promoting tolerance and social cohesion is crucial for making progress in combating the GBVF crisis.

The Department of Social Development leads the Fourth Pillar of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF), which focuses on support, care, assistance, and healing.

Dina Pule highly commended the continuous support provided by NSMSA and the Heinrich Böll Foundation over six years.

Pule addressed shelter staff, social workers, counselors, and support personnel, saying: 'I greet you. Your work is at the forefront of our national response. You are the hands reaching out to survivors, the voices breathing hope into despair, and the guardians of dignity when it has been most cruelly taken away.'

She noted that the statistics necessitating such a statement remain shocking. 'One in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence. Three women are killed by their intimate partners every day. Between July and September 2025 alone, over 2000 survivors sought help at Thuthuzela Care centers. Approximately 65% of all registered victims of gender-based violence in some provinces are children,' she stated.

Crime Asset Recovery Fund Account

Pule also expressed gratitude to the department for the work conducted in 134 operational shelters, made possible through the joint efforts of her department and the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI).

She reported that through funding from the Crime Asset Recovery Account (CARA), the department acquired nine vehicles for anti-trafficking shelters (TIP) across nine provinces. Additionally, the department is establishing four integrated Khuseleka centers in the provinces of Limpopo, Mpumalanga, North Cape, and KwaZulu-Natal.

Pule emphasized: 'Social integration is not an abstract concept. It requires concrete actions. Survivors must be at the center of policy, services, and resource decision-making. Their voices must guide our actions.'

Saving Lives

The National Development Agency (NDA) plays a vital role in the economic empowerment of women and GBVF victims. Pule explained that the NDA served as a mechanism through which DSD directed and utilized funds allocated from CARA for the Victim Empowerment Program through Civil Society Organizations (CSOs), which provided direct and indirect support to GBVF victims.

This program ran from 2020 to 2023, allocating 95 million rand. Pule concluded: 'To the shelter representatives, your work saves lives. Every woman who finds shelter, every child protected from harm, every family given a chance to heal—that is your achievement.'

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iol.co.zaSeptember 3, 13:00

Childline KZN calls for strengthening partnerships to support victims of violence

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of Childline KwaZulu-Natal (KZN), the organization continues to focus closely on the critical intersection between community support and the criminal justice system in matters of child protection in the province.

The 24-hour crisis hotline handled an average of about 40,000 calls annually. These calls concerned various issues, including violence (38.64%), neglect (32.44%), poverty (12.56%), substance abuse (8.69%), and school problems (7.67%).

The Siyakhanyisa Prevention & Outreach program reached 58,389 children, parents, caregivers, and community members. Under the Victim Empowerment/Therapeutic department, 1,529 new cases were registered, and 2,323 counseling sessions were conducted.

A guest at the Childline KZN annual general meeting, lawyer Omashani Naidu, Deputy Director of the National Prosecuting Authority for Sexual Offences and Public Matters in KZN, emphasized that children often do not report instances of violence due to a range of serious obstacles. These include pervasive fear, pressure to keep family matters confidential, the weight of promises made to abusers, the complex impact of grooming, and self-doubt.

Consequently, organizations like Childline play a vital role in creating a safe environment where children feel strong enough to break their silence. Naidu noted that by collaborating with other stakeholders, Childline raises awareness about grooming through school visits, helping children realize that the criminal justice system exists to protect them.

For those who are afraid to speak, therapeutic intervention and play therapy using tools such as dolls and coloring books provide a safe way to express emotions, process experienced trauma, and understand that they are not to blame. Naidu added: 'With such intervention, it is not just Childline involved, because Childline will contact the police; the police and prosecutors will be involved too. As an interdisciplinary team, you receive comprehensive care for the victim.'

She also explained that reporting an incident allows the police to conduct an investigation and the prosecutors to bring criminal charges.

Childline KZN Director Adeshini Nikeer described the past year as an exceptionally challenging period, as the organization had to balance growing demand for services with limited resources. Nikeer reported that the organization faced a difficult financial year and had to manage its funds carefully.

Nevertheless, the leadership expressed gratitude to numerous donors and supporters, particularly the Victor Deitz Foundation, Round Table No. 2, and the Department of Social Development. The partnership with the Comrades Marathon Association was a significant achievement. In addition to financial assistance, being included among six official charities gave Childline KZN global recognition, making the world broadcast a moment of great pride for the organization.

Nikeer shared that many events this year reminded them of the reasons for their work: watching a child regain confidence through therapy, seeing increased community awareness about child protection, or simply knowing that a child has someone to turn to when there is nowhere else to go—these are the moments that make the difficulties worthwhile. She added that much work lies ahead, and the organization's focus remains on building resilience, establishing meaningful partnerships, investing in staff, and continuously improving services to meet the changing needs of children and families across KwaZulu-Natal.

Looking back at its 40-year history, Nikeer mentioned that Childline KZN was founded in 1986 in response to a surge in child abuse cases at Addington Hospital.

Over four decades, the organization has become a lifeline, providing children with a safe space where they are heard and the necessary support for healing, thereby affirming its unwavering commitment to protecting children from violence and fear.

Childline KZN Treasurer Tilo Reddy reported positive trends in the 2025/26 financial year, when the organization moved from a deficit in 2025 to a surplus of approximately 700,000 Rand. Reddy noted that this was made possible by sponsors, efficient cost management, and all donors. He also mentioned new initiatives, such as the gala dinner, which is being held for the second consecutive year in celebration of the 40th anniversary, emphasizing that the ability to generate a surplus amid NGO pressures allows them to continue caring for children and ensuring their safety.