Ramaphosa calls for creation of economic opportunities for women

A recent survey on the prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV) has found that more than 7% of South African women aged 18 and older experienced physical or sexual abuse over a 12-month period. 

President Cyril Ramaphosa mentioned the survey while delivering his Women's Day address at the Dennis Nel Stadium in Pofadder in the Northern Cape on Friday.

Ramaphosa said about 13% of women who had been in an intimate relationship reported experiencing economic abuse at the hands of their partner. 

“This is why we need to address the massive inequality in income between men and women. On average, women earn a quarter of their income from grants, compared to a far lower percentage for men.

“We must therefore create more jobs and other economic opportunities for women. So they are less vulnerable to exploitation and abuse.”

The first national survey was conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) in 2022 based on a random sample of people interviewed at home.

“The results of this ground-breaking survey will help guide our response to gender-based violence. It measured issues like physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse, as well as controlling behaviour between intimate partners,” Ramaphosa said.

Detailed results of the survey are expected to be released in the coming weeks.

He said the 7% rate was highest among young women, black women, women who completed secondary education, and unmarried women living with a partner. It highlights that physical violence starts early, often affecting adolescent girls and young women, and continues through adulthood.

“Seven percent may not sound like a lot but this figure is the equivalent of 1.5-million women. So according to the HSRC survey, over the course of just one year, more than one-and-a- half million women experienced physical or sexual violence in our country,” he said.

Ramaphosa said they were not just statistics but human beings, women who had endured trauma  no person should have to experience. 

Significantly, he added that 4% of men in the survey reported having perpetrated physical violence against a women in the preceding 12 months.

“This translates to over 600,000 men. Men must change their behaviour. Men must change their attitudes. That is why today we call on all South African men to pledge to be part of the solution — to take responsibility for their actions.”    

Ramaphosa said in recent years the government had worked to fight gender-based violence and femicide, guided by the National Strategic Plan.

“We have introduced new laws that protect survivors of gender-based violence, improve the response of the police and ensure harsher sentences for perpetrators. We have opened additional sexual offences courts. We have expanded our network of Thuthuzela Care Centres,” he said. 

The government had also introduced more victim-friendly services at police stations across the country.

He called on citizens to deliberate on the challenges that stand in the way of the emancipation of SA’s women.

Inequality

SA, he said, remained a highly unequal country where poverty still had the face of a black woman. He said black women were more likely to be unemployed, poor and unskilled.

Ramaphosa said millions of women were supported every month with social grants to enable them to care for their families.

“SA has one of the highest rates of female literacy in our region. There is parity between girls and boys in primary school enrolment.”  

He called for women to take their rightful place as active participants to grow the economy and accelerate development, adding they needed to be business owners, producers, employers and employees. 

He said the government launched the Women's Economic Assembly to support efforts to ensure women were active participants in the economy. The assembly aims to secure procurement opportunities for women-owned businesses in different industries. Through the Women’s Economic Empowerment Programme, almost 8,000 women have been trained to establish and manage businesses. 

“With funding from government and development finance institutions, we are increasing the support provided to women-owned enterprises. We are working to ensure more women can own land, especially in rural areas.”

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