PRESIDENT Cyril Ramaphosa has delivered a firm and urgent call to the international community to intensify efforts to end GBV and femicide.
He used his keynote address at the G20 Social Summit at Birchwood Hotel in Germiston, Ekurhuleni on Thursday, 20 November, to spotlight the crisis as a major barrier to global development.
Addressing delegates from G20 nations, civil society, labour, business, youth formations and global organisations, Ramaphosa situated the fight against GBV within the broader struggle for equality, justice and sustainable development.
He emphasised that no society could prosper while half its population continues to face systemic violence and discrimination.
"No society can thrive for as long as gender-based violence and femicide continue and the agency of women is denied," Ramaphosa said.
He stressed that violence against women erodes the social fabric of nations and undermines economic growth.
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Marked on World Children's Day, the summit provided a fitting backdrop for Ramaphosa's call for global solidarity in protecting women and kids.
He cautioned against declining overseas development assistance, particularly for health and social programmes that serve vulnerable groups.
A key message of the address was that men and boys must be central to combating GBV.
"They must be actively involved in challenging inherited attitudes, power imbalances and social structures that normalise violence and silence survivors," he said.
He highlighted the need to transform harmful social norms.
Ramaphosa also stressed that South Africa has declared GBV and femicide a national crisis, requiring extraordinary action across government, civil society, and communities.
