Ground-breaking Interfaith GBV Prevention & Mitigation Strategy
The Faith Action to End GBV Collective, in collaboration with We Will Speak Out South Africa (WWSOSA), proudly announces the launch of the first-ever joint Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy 2024–2030. This historic initiative marks a significant step forward in the united efforts of diverse faith communities to tackle gender-based violence (GBV) and femicide across South Africa.
The launch event will take place on Thursday, 3 October 2024, from 09:00 to 16:00 at the Baha’i National Centre, 209 Bellairs Drive, North Riding, Johannesburg, with an additional hybrid online option available for those unable to attend in person. This comprehensive strategy represents the culmination of years of collaboration and dialogue among various religious groups and stakeholders, committed to addressing the pervasive issue of GBV within both faith communities and the broader society.
The Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy aims to transform harmful social, cultural, and religious norms that perpetuate violence and to establish faith communities as safe spaces for sanctuary, care, and healing. It outlines a clear vision for an inclusive and peaceful South Africa that is free from gender-based violence and femicide, with faith leaders and faith communities playing a pivotal role in driving this transformation.
This is the next step in the growth of the interfaith movement to address GBV in South Africa, after a November 2023 Interfaith Summit at which a Joint Interfaith GBV Statement of Commitment was launched. A Signature Campaign that followed garnered almost faith-sector 700 signatures (https://www.wwsosa.org.za/interfaith-action-to-end-gbv-statement-and-campaign/ )
The 2023 interfaith statement ends with a promise to move from mere words to concrete action. The Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy provides a crucial framework within which transformative actions can be implemented, coordinated and accounted for, and which provide for mechanisms by which faith sector actors to be adequately supported and their action amplified. said Daniela Gennrich, Coordinator at WWSOSA.
Further, the reality is that publishing statements and asking people to commit to them through signing, and writing a joint strategy, while important landmarks, do not guarantee success. What is needed are mechanisms to ensure that diverse faith sector partners are well-equipped for their continuing journeys. Hence, the 3rd October will see the launch of a critical complementary initiative – a new Interfaith GBV Community of Praxis, which includes:
- an Online Learning and Engagement Platform for registered members, as well as
- a multi-faith Resource Team that will offer in-person bespoke support (on request).
The Strategy is not intended only for partners in the Faith Action Collective, but for any people of faith, faith-based organisations and places of worship. Hence, the coordinating team has shared the strategy widely and has invited members of faith communities to contribute to its final shaping by submitting their feedback and suggestions for improvement by 9am on the 26th September. (Read it here: https://www.wwsosa.org.za/interfaith-gbv-prevention-and-mitigation-strategy/).
Strategy 2030, which was developed over 4 months of consultation, aims to provide a framework for the faith sector to generate a decisive and sustainable way forward that can easily be localised in context-appropriate ways.
Gennrich added: “It calls for a fundamental transformation within religious institutions, urging faith leaders and members to actively engage in challenging the harmful norms and practices that have often perpetuated violence. This is about more than words—it is a call to action that requires concrete commitments, accountability, and sustained effort from every corner of the faith sector.”
“By uniting around this shared commitment, we are not only acknowledging the critical role that faith communities can play in addressing GBV but also taking a decisive stand against all forms of violence and abuse,” she emphasised.
“This movement aims to create safe, inclusive spaces within our congregations and communities, where everyone, regardless of their gender, is treated with dignity and respect. Our goal is to foster a culture of equality and justice, where the values of compassion, love, and mutual respect are not just preached, but actively practised. We are holding ourselves to a higher standard, setting an example that we hope will resonate far beyond the faith sector, influencing the broader societal shift needed to eradicate GBV in all its forms,” she explained.
Key elements of the strategy include:
- Transforming Harmful Norms: Addressing and challenging the cultural, social, and religious norms that enable GBV.
- Movement-Building and Advocacy: Strengthening partnerships and networks to amplify the impact of faith communities in GBV prevention.
- Localising Efforts and Impact: Working closely with local partners to build safe faith communities that actively prevent and respond to GBV.
This launch is a call to action for all faith leaders, community members, and the public to join forces in creating a future where no one is subject to violence because of their gender. It underscores the belief that true faith is expressed not only through words but through actions that protect and uplift the most vulnerable in society.
