Vodacom has pledged R10-million to fund a private sector-led, multi-sectoral Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) Response Fund 1 to support the implementation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP), and the wider GBVF response in the country.
Pioneered by the International Women’s Forum South Africa (IWFSA) and the Presidency in collaboration with several strategic partners, the GBVF Response Fund 1 is the brainchild of a resolution of the Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Declaration, which followed the 2018 GBVF Summit and is aimed at finding sustainable solutions to ending the scourge of GBV in South Africa.
Takalani Netshitenzhe, external affairs director of Vodacom South Africa, says: “We are delighted about the launch of the GBVF Response Fund 1 as it is going to help the private sector collaborate closely with the public sector to end the scourge of Gender-Based Violence in South Africa. As pioneers in the use of technology in the fight against GBV, at Vodacom we have always believed that fighting GBV requires a coordinated approach and partnership between government, civil society and business. Accordingly, we welcome President Cyril Ramaphosa’s bold vision and plans to look at tackling the scourge of GBV. We will use the R10-million we have pledged for programmes identified by the GBVF Response Fund 1.”
Vodacom’s pledge will go towards the implementation of Pillars 4 and 5 of the NSP on GBVF, covering areas such as response, care, survivor support and healing and economic empowerment.