The case of GBV in South Africa: What Needs to Shift to Curb GBV in the Country?

By: Thelma Nyarhi

“The world has enough women who live a masked insecurity. It needs more women who live a brave vulnerability.” Ann Voskamp

We cannot speak of women’s empowerment before addressing the ill truths and wounded histories. What is the point of celebrating the few key women of our time when the majority sleeps in tears and scars? What is the point of dedicating one day and observing women’s day, when many only find peace in the cover of darkness when they are asleep or dead?  Feminized poverty and feminized violence continue to leave women in vulnerable states. By seeking out opportunities to alleviate poverty, women consequently become possible targets of gender-based violence. How is vulnerability lived, governed or defined? How is social control coexisting with parameters of support and care? How are lived experiences defined as ‘vulnerable’? How does history pose or define ‘vulnerability’? What happens when vulnerable persons in their trying to survive, fail? In as much as gender equality is a right, fulfilling it has come with challenges. The United Nations Development Programme formulated a metric system to measure gender inequality. The Gender Inequality Index (GII) is measured using three dimensions namely: empowerment, reproductive health, and the labour market.

In 2022, countries in Southern Africa such as South Africa ranked (99), Botswana (120), Kenya (139), Namibia (112) and Zimbabwe (132). Out of the 193 countries measured, these countries were one of the lowly ranked. Additionally, in an Afrobarometer survey of the aforementioned countries, South Africa had the highest sample proportion of 32.5% blaming their current government.  The sampled individuals claimed their current government had been doing badly concerning promoting equal rights and opportunities for women. Compared to the other countries, it is clear the gender equality challenges spun beyond economic spheres to include that of social and political fronts. Gender equality is an important factor in limiting gender violence. With soaring violence rates and escalating conflicts within different parts of the African continent, women are the most vulnerable during such encounters.

Research shows that urban violence is quite common and is a result of the mass influx of people to the cities. Within these spaces, men may experience lethal forms of violence whereas women experience sexual violence and feelings of unsafety. The vulnerabilities of women ideally define opportunity and oppression currents in society. Although vulnerable groups or individuals are often given priority in addressing needs, there are still challenges e.g. corruption, fear of reporting, societal patriarchal attitudes and norms, power imbalance struggles etc. Despite being affected by these challenges, women possess the skills, leadership, and ideas to solve these problems but, what does this look like in the shadows of patriarchy?

According to United Nations, (UN) “violence against women is defined as any act of gender-based violence (GBV) that results in or is likely to result in physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women”. As a violation of human rights, it remains a global concern with jarring consequences for individuals and societies. According to the 2022 UN report 89 000 women were killed globally with Africa contributing the largest portion of femicides. Depending on the society, violence may vary. It was found that in Southern Africa, 27% of women aged 15+ years had experienced sexual and/or physical violence from intimate others.    This is brought about by the societal structures and activity patterns. In a survey carried out by Afrobarometer between 2021-2023 it was found that 25.4% of the interviewed South African sample population had found it common for men to use violence against women and girls. Although this is a perceptual indicator it still reveals the sociocultural relations and understandings of women’s lived experiences. As buttressed by President Cyril Ramaphosa, South Africa is a deeply traumatized state with about 1,5 million women abused over a year. In a population size of about 61 billion with the majority being female, the abuse rates continue to be a cause of concern.

What is driving GBV?

The pervasiveness of GBV in Southern Africa has been discovered to be about patriarchal social structures marked by deeply rooted misogynistic norms. Patriarchy is an important element of African culture and is built into our norms and customs.  It is understood to be a system that believes in a social organization defined by the supremacy of males. Power and control are held by the male, often fatherly counterparts in the family. Men are elevated and valued above women. This unfortunately leaves women and children at the mercy of these systemic structures. The abuse of women has been seen as an inherent feature of patriarchal culture. Discrimination and gender inequality is built into such structures and are ignored or approved to be the norm, which results in the potential abuse and violation of vulnerable bodies such as that of women. In addition, poverty, alcohol abuse and historical structural violence have also contributed to GBV in Southern Africa. With 30 years of democracy, South Africa still finds itself entangled in GBV tendencies. While the empowerment of women requires the transformation of society through unearthing the wounded histories and restructuring the power imbalances between men and women, there is still a long way to go.

A looping past

Although, the country drafted the Women’s Charter in 1954, a year before the Freedom Charter to recognize the need to “share in the problems and anxieties of our men and join hands with them to remove social evils and obstacles to progress”, the country still has one of the highest rates of GBV. In 1994 the Women’s Charter was reviewed and both had called for a society free of discrimination and prejudice. However, even within contemporary South Africa, women still face the prevailing consequences of patriarchy and exclusion. GBV cases continue to be withdrawn due to prolonged periods in court which at the end of the day emotionally drain the affected parties. Additionally, in as much as there are policies for example the Women’s Charter, the country is still falling short in translating this and other policies calling on gender equality into action. There is still limited involvement of men in GBV prevention and response this could be due to the way our societies are structured. Lobola practices have been misconstrued and led men to believe they have power to treat their spouses however they like. This may sometimes translate to sexual and other forms of abuse. Additionally, the belief of a woman having to endure also contributes to the limited involvement of men and consequential lack of reporting by the affected individuals. Patriarchy as a deeply rooted aspect of African culture, leads us to question the social norms and practices as well as socialization processes that have resulted in the calibre of men we have in society. Public speeches and talks during for example women’s day commemorations, political campaigns, or GBV or femicide campaign’s are not enough to eradicate the GBV problem. There is need for active participation by all social actors. What are we doing as a nation? What can be done?

Recommendations

Education remains an integral plot to ensuring women are offered a chance to success. This requires the recognition of vulnerable girl child and having interventions that afford them education opportunities. This could be formal education or skill-based education that can offer them opportunities of economic empowerment and participation. Furthermore, the presence of women and funding in fulfilling legislative processes and/or the collaboration with other women’s rights organizations may help enhance support services and reduce instances of possible corruption or ridicule of reported cases. There is also a need for prevention social programming to promote social cohesion and contribute to social transformation. There is a need to unlearn discriminatory and exclusionary societal norms that reinforce patriarchal beliefs and perpetuate violence. By recognizing the women as integral participants in society we may begin to undo patriarchal masculinities and embrace the Women’s Charter advocacy. It all starts by realizing the wounded histories and addressing them through inclusionary processes that see value in collective existence and interdependence. Through the actions and practices of Ubuntu, we may begin to harmonize social spaces.

Conclusion

Although GBV stands as a pandemic in the continent and particularly in South Africa, it calls for the need to look into our pasts and realize some standing structural systems. Patriarchy, although deeply rooted in the African culture, it is exclusionary and devastating to the women in society. As vulnerable persons they require immediate attention and protection. While women’s empowerment is an essential part process for gender equality it sometimes has challenges that trace back into history. What is needed is collective action against GBV. It is not simply the responsibility of the affected individuals but, the responsibility for all humanity.

Thelma Nyarhi is a researcher at the Democracy Development Program (DDP) and writes in her own capacity.