Cape Town – The DA is concerned that seven months after the adoption of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) to combat gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities has failed to secure and ring-fence the budget and additional resources needed in order to ensure implementation.
Nazley Sharif MP said in a statement on Tuesday this was especially in light of the fact that National Treasury has already allocated R5 million to the establishment of the NCGBVF.
Noting that the legislating of the NCGBVF has not even started, Sharif said it seemed that between the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities and the Department of Justice, this process is not a priority, while the violence rages on against the vulnerable.
'’The Minister of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, Maite Nkoana-Mashabane, has today conceded that there is no budget to fund the establishment of the National Council of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NCGBVF) and there is no time frame on the legislation of the National Strategic Plan (NSP) to combat gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF),“ said Sharif.
’’The minister revealed this during a meeting of Parliament’s portfolio committee on womxn, youth and persons with disabilities today,“ said Sharif, the DA spokesperson on women, youth and persons with disabilities.
'’The NSP outlines the establishment of the NCGBVF in Chapter 5 and is also outlined in Article 4 of the Presidential Declaration Against GBVF in 2019. The role of the NCGBVF is essentially to ensure that the NSP is implemented, monitored and evaluated.
’’The need to address the scourge of GBVF cannot simply be a talk shop or a tick-box exercise. There must be a clear plan on implementation of strategies, a clear time frame attached to the implementation plan and a concise monitoring and evaluation plan, in order to hold key departments accountable.
’’It is unacceptable that womxn and members of the LGBTQIA+ community continue to be left alone in the cold, murdered and abused while the government drags its feet.
’’It is worth noting that the legislating of the NCGBVF has not even started. It would seem as though between the DWYPD and the Department of Justice, this process of legislation is not a priority.
’’The lack of legislation will make it very difficult to ensure the implementation of the NSP, that departments are held accountable and to fight the scourge of GBVF on the ground. It is one thing to have a policy on paper, it is another thing to have this policy legislated.’’
Sharif urged Nkoana-Mashabane to ensure that there is adequate budget given to the implementation of the NSP and the establishment of the NCGBVF, as well as ensuring that the legislation related to all GBVF issues be done speedily and brought to Parliament without delay.
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