Online Reporter
Melody Chironda
Correspondent
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t is estimated that one out of eight women and girls will experience sexual violence before the age of 18 as a result of gender-based violence.
Globally, gender-based violence continues to be one of the most pressing problems, affecting millions of lives, and more than one in three women experience violence against them.
Women who suffer violence in intimate partnerships are at greater risk of contracting HIV, and this increases the risk of AIDS as a public health threat.
The fear of violence often prevents women from seeking necessary HIV testing and treatment, since they may avoid disclosing their status or accessing healthcare altogether because of concerns about potential repercussions from abusive partners.
Women are also at increased risk of contracting HIV due to harmful gender norms, insufficient sexual and reproductive health services, and weak health systems.
As a result of this cycle of violence and health inequity, global health targets, such as the 95-95-95 HIV prevention and treatment goals, are challenged.
The Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS (UNAIDS remains a leader in the fight against HIV/AIDS, spearheading a comprehensive and coordinated global response. This was shared at the thought-provoking webinar on breaking cycles of violence, exploring root causes, sharing effective strategies, and envisioning a world free of gender-based violence.
The panel featured experts from diverse organisations, including Nompumelelo Zungu, a specialist in HIV, mental health, GBV, and gender at the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), Charles Mphephe, the Men’s Forum representative, Tabitha Ntuli of UNAIDS, an expert on equality and rights for all, Jacqueline Nzisabira of UN Women East and Southern Africa, Seugnette van Wyngaard, from insurance company First for Women and Andiswa Mthembu from Young Women’s Foundation, while South African media personality Katy Katopodis moderated the panel.
From ‘one in three’ to zero tolerance
For nearly 20 years, First for Women has been dedicated to eradicating gender-based violence (GBV) and supporting its victims through various initiatives and programmes run by its First for Women Foundation. One of its flagship efforts, the Generation None campaign, was launched by First for Women Insurance. The campaign aims to eradicate GBV and foster a safer, more equitable future for South African women and girls. The campaign has raised over R100 million to support victims and fund prevention projects.
“But our work is far from over,” said Van Wyngaard. “Imagine a world where we can turn ‘one-in-three’ into ‘none’.”
The Generation None campaign aims to eliminate gender-based violence through collective action and unwavering commitment. Van Wyngaard said that a symbolic time capsule project with the hashtag #GenerationNone was launched, inviting South Africans to leave messages of hope for a GBV-free future in a time capsule, and the insurance company will continue to allocate a portion of its premiums to programs that combat GBV.
Unequal ground
In her role as UN Women’s Africa Advisor, Jacqueline Nzisabira addressed the involvement of UN Women in responding to GBV and its impact on the HIV epidemic in Southern Africa.
“We are in the middle of the 16 Days of Activism, and for years, people worldwide have been advocating against gender-based violence. On our continent, particularly in Southern Africa, gender-based violence is fuelling the HIV epidemic. It is no longer just rhetoric; we have studies that prove it,” said Nzisabira.
Nzisabira said that despite efforts of governments to address these issues, a reactive approach to eradicating GBV and HIV is not sufficient, as structural vulnerabilities, particularly for women and young women, are still driving these epidemics. To illustrate this point, she provided an example.
“If you look at the huge inequalities in our societies, ranging from social to economic, and the harmful norms that treat men and women differently, it becomes clear that we need to address these issues,” said Nzisabira.
“Consider how we socialise our young boys and girls. A young boy is not born violent but becomes so through socialisation. This highlights the need to address the norms that shape individual beliefs and practices, as well as societal norms that often leave young women dependent on older men.”
She said that there are power imbalances created by transgenerational relationships that expose young women to greater risk, and institutions exacerbate these tensions.
This is why the issue needs a whole-of-society approach to address both epidemics. “We have seen that tackling the root causes of these inequalities results in women and young women becoming less vulnerable to violence and better protected against HIV infection.”
Wounds beyond bruises
Charles Mphephe from the Men’s Forum believes that the law focused on girls and women is the reason it isn’t working.
“For a long time, the system has not included young men and boys, said Mphephe. “But when you groom girls, they end up in relationships with young men or boys who have not been groomed themselves from a young age. It is a waste of time if we forget to focus on young boys too. That’s why the system is not working — because young and older men have been left out.”
Mphephe said the lack of spaces where boys and men can vent their emotions contributes to silent suffering, suicide, and violence.
He said that Men’s Forum has been creating these spaces since 2018, and the men who attend their sessions are experiencing positive changes.
“Some say it is the calm before the storm because we cannot elevate it to the men’s parliament,” said Mphephe. “We were launching the men’s parliament in the city of Johannesburg to address gender-based violence and even the national strategic plan for HIV and AIDS.”
Africans are facing dual epidemics of gender-based violence and HIV, with a disproportionate impact on women and girls, said Tabitha Ntuli, the Equality, and Rights for All Advisor at UNAIDS.
Ntuli said that 51% of women in South Africa have experienced gender-based violence in their lifetime and 21,3% of women aged between 15 and 49 are living with HIV, according to the UNAIDS 2023 report. Ntuli said this shows the interconnected nature of GBV and HIV, in which GBV is both a driver and a consequence of HIV.
“Survivors of gender-based violence are more likely to contract HIV due to forced or unsafe sex, and women living with HIV face heightened risks of intimate partner violence and societal stigma,” she said.
Poverty, lack of education and healthcare, and patriarchal norms further exacerbate power imbalances, she said, leaving women vulnerable to abusive or transactional relationships and limiting their ability to negotiate safer practices within relationships.
—Allafrica.com
