1st for Women partners with The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation in fight against GBV

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StampOutGBV.co.za is a space for South Africans to digitally post to Parliament, how they’ve been affected by GBV and why they want to stamp out the associated, heinous crimes.

Masimbulele Buso, counselling psychologist and project lead at The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation, said, “Together, we’re pulling out all the stops to ensure that our leaders deliver on the promises they’ve made. It is imperative that solving GBVF is a priority, not a footnote.”

In March 2020, South African women were promised that they wouldn’t be next. Following a total shutdown and a mass outcry demanding justice and action, a bold, R21bn plan, aimed at eradicating Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) by 2030 was approved and a National Council on GBVF to oversee the implementation of this plan was to be formulated within six months.

Nearly two years later, and South Africa is still waiting for the delivery of these promises.

In August 2021: The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation took to the streets with a ‘Post Office to Parliament’ campaign to address the stagnation of focus on GBVF in South Africa.

Buso added, “Post Office to Parliament was a metaphor for the atrocities committed to women going about their daily lives - the rape and murder of Uyinene at the Clareinch Post Office, for example - and now we have partnered with 1st For Women to continue our crusade to stamp out GBV. It’s November 2021 and we’re still waiting for the National Council on GBVF to be established.”

How can you help?

Visit StampOutGBV.co.za and post a virtual postcard to parliament with why you want delivery on the promises made about eradicating GBVF.

These postcards will be added to the 12,000+ postcards already received by The Uyinene Mrwetyana Foundation during its Post Office to Parliament campaign. All postcards will be documented in a research paper on the effects of GBVF on South Africans and presented to policymakers. The research paper will inform policymakers on key GBVF focus areas, based on real accounts, and will be made available to civil society to raise awareness.