Pretoria (KAAB TV) – The South African government has declared gender-based violence (GBV), particularly violence against women, a national disaster.
This follows a surge in violent crimes against women across the country. The announcement was made on Friday after nationwide protests in which women lay on the ground to honour victims killed daily in South Africa.
The movement was supported by women in other countries, including Kenya and Namibia.
According to Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs Minister Velenkosini Hlabisa, the National Disaster Management Centre (NDMC) classified GBV and femicide as a disaster “following a thorough reassessment of previous reports and updated submissions from organs of state as well as civil organisations.”
South Africa has one of the highest rates of violence against women globally, with GBV levels estimated to be among the highest in the world.
The declaration comes after an online petition signed by more than one million South Africans calling for urgent action.
A movement known as Women for Change, which advocates for women’s rights, welcomed the decision.
In a statement posted online, the organisation said, “We have won,” adding that “persistence has been recognised.”
“We have written history together, and we have finally forced the country to confront the truth,” it added.
The categorisation allows government departments to use allocated funds to “take every measure possible to curb the crisis,” according to BBC reports.
A total of 42,569 rape cases were reported between April 2023 and March 2024, according to UN Women.
Overall, more than 35% of women over 18 have experienced physical and/or sexual violence in their lifetime.