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President Cyril Ramaphosa said that the government would be implementing a National Strategic Plan to combat gender-based violence.
Writing in his weekly column on Monday, he said that a key aspect of this plan is ensuring greater financial inclusion for women.
“This is because economic inequality and social inequality are interconnected. The economic status of women in South Africa makes them more vulnerable to abuse.”
Ramaphosa said if South Africa had to “truly realise the promise of the Constitution then it would have to tackle the economic and financial exclusion that makes women more vulnerable to abuse and violence.
“We have joined a ground-breaking campaign that links us to global efforts to achieve gender equality by 2030. Generation Equality is an ambitious and transformative agenda to end discrimination and violence against women and for their equal participation in political, social, and economic life,” the President said.
He said 11 months since the Emergency Response Action Plan to combat gender-based violence and femicide was implemented we have made progress in expanding support and care to survivors, and progress is being made in legal reforms to afford them greater protection.
“The emancipation of women is only words on paper unless it is matched by a commitment from all sectors of society,” Ramaphosa said.
