Traditional leaders cited as key in fight against GBV

Gender-based violence (GBV) activists have urged traditional leaders to take the lead in ending harmful cultural practices that may be perpetuating violence against women and girls in the SADC region. 

During a recent gathering in Johannesburg, activists, scholars, and civil action groups came together to identify tangible solutions to GBV.

The panel found that traditional practices such as ukuthwala (the abduction of women and girls for marriage), virginity testing and child marriage continue to harm women and girls yet are often protected as cultural preservation. 

Mandisa Khanyile from Rise Up Against GBV emphasised that while traditional leaders were co-operative, they must engage communities at the grassroots level to effect behavioural change.

Speaking with YNews, she detailed how in some communities livestock is still being exchanged between families as compensation for a young girl’s rape. 

She said that families needed to be engaged, so livestock or money cease to be viewed as acceptable compensation for a victim’s trauma. 

The SADC region faces alarming GBV statistics. 

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), one in five women experience physical or sexual violence in the region. 

In South Africa, 45% of women have experienced violence, as reported by Statistics South Africa. 

Activists say that under-resourced police stations, inadequate support for victims, and biased laws favouring perpetrators’ rights over those of victims exacerbate the issue. 

As a result, they say, in South Africa less than 20% of reported GBV cases go to trial, with only 8% resulting in conviction.

To combat GBV, panelists recommended community-led initiatives, engaging traditional leaders, community members, and schools to challenge harmful practices.

They have called for strengthened legislation and amended laws to prioritise victims’ rights. 

They’re also advocating for improved police training and increased police resources to vulnerable and under-served communities.