For the next sixteen (16) days from today, activists and organisations around the world draw attention to an injustice  holding societies back — violence against women. Together with our partners, the Southern Africa Trust is taking part in this campaign by making the call to end all forms of violence and abuse against women.

In particular, we are turning the spotlight on the world of care work, exposing the vulnerabilities and dangers faced by workers in the care economy, majority of whom are women. Our partner in South Africa, Izwi Domestic Workers Alliance (IDWA), will spotlight  the unique challenges of domestic workers to harassment, bullying and violence at work.

In Malawi, the Malawi Human Rights Resource Centre (MHRRC), will raise awareness on labour relations within the care work industry by highlighting how workplace injustices disproportionately affect women within “informal” and “semi-formal” business sectors.

The Zambia Alliance of Women (ZAW) will draw attention to and encourage action against gender-based violence (GBV) by promoting a culture of zero tolerance towards violence against women in Zambia.

In Zimbabwe, a consortium of four organisations led by the Economic Justice for Women Project (EJWP) will spotlight GBV in the education sector, particularly within rural education institutions. In addition, the consortium will also advocate for the safety and empowerment of female students in tertiary institutions across Zimbabwe. The other organisations part of this consortium are the Amalgamated Rural Teachers Union of Zimbabwe (ARTUZ), the Female Students Network Trust (FSNT) and the Southern Africa Parliamentary Trust (SAPST).

Speaking ahead of the launch of the campaign, Southern Africa Trust CEO, Alice D. Kanengoni said: “Gender inequality and gender-based violence remain prevalent across southern Africa. As a result of gender discrimination and lower socio-economic status, women have fewer options and resources at their disposal to avoid or escape abusive situations and to seek justice. There is a need for action by all stakeholders in this region to effectively develop and implement clear actions to prevent, combat, and end its occurrence.”

The campaign will run until 10 December and will culminate in a regional dialogue in Johannesburg, South Africa. The campaign is supported by the Embassy of the Kingdom of Netherlands in South Africa and the Ford Foundation.

About the Southern Africa Trust

Established in 2005, the Southern Africa Trust (The Trust) is a non-profit regional organization dedicated to eradicating poverty and inequality across sixteen countries in Southern Africa. Acting as both a regranting and implementing entity, we collaborate closely with civil society organizations to forge partnerships that shift power towards pro-poor policies and practices.