Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga announces the priorities of South Africa’s newly established National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide following its inaugural meeting.
South Africa’s newly established National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide has held its inaugural meeting, with its first priorities including a Shareholder Compact, a costing framework for the country’s response to gender-based violence and stronger oversight of the national strategy.
The statutory council, created under the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act 9 of 2024, met in Pretoria on Monday as the government moved to operationalise a structure that was one of the resolutions of the 2018 Presidential Summit Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
Minister in the Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities Sindisiwe Chikunga said the meeting yesterday marked the start of the council’s work after years of pressure from survivors, women’s organisations, civil society, and other sectors for a permanent body to coordinate South Africa’s response.
“Our inaugural meeting today is mandated by the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act 9 of 2024. By convening this morning, we have effectively set the long-overdue ball rolling.”
