|
POPULATION: 49,052,489
ACTIVE IN: Western Cape Province, KwaZulu Natal Province
PROGRAMS: Women’s Empowerment, Social Mobilization
A CAUSE FOR CONCERN
South Africa currently reports the highest incidence of rape in the world and sexual violence against women or the fear of it is linked with to an increased risk of acquiring HIV in the country. With a staggering 5.7 million people believed to be living with HIV/AIDS and an estimated 1,500 new infections occurring daily in the country, there is a great need to significantly reduce violence against women and ultimately curb the spread of HIV/AIDS. | OVERVIEW
Project Project Concern International (PCI) launched an initiative in South Africa focused on addressing the root causes of sexual violence against women, which research shows is fueling the rapid spread of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the country. Building on PCI’s portfolio of integrated HIV/AIDS programming in Africa initiated in 1996, in South Africa PCI aims to make a lasting impact by working to reduce HIV transmission by changing social norms related to sexual and other gender-based violence against women.
WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND SOCIAL MOBILIZATION
In partnership with the Western Cape and Kwa-Zulu Natal Networks on Violence Against Women, PCI is working to reduce sexual violence against women, a major problem in South Africa that leaves females at much higher risk for acquiring HIV/AIDS. To achieve this goal, PCI is employing the use of a social mobilization model that enforces engagement, communication, and social action.
The program is: 1) engaging partners in South Africa who are currently addressing the issue of violence against women to streamline and intensify activities and minimizing barriers and gaps in programming; 2) developing a communications campaign that will market and amplify partner activities and foster culturally appropriate social norms, attitudes, and beliefs; and 3) ensuring that existing laws and policies that protect women from violence are implemented and facilitating a coordinated movement, supported by the amplification campaign, to promote changed social norms around violence against women. In addition, PCI and its partners are raising awareness and promoting enforcement of the wide-ranging existing legislative framework that supports the rights of women.
PCI is also addressing the behavior factors linked to increased HIV-risk, such as multiple concurrent partners and alcohol abuse. The program is designed to reduce the transmission of HIV as well as significantly lower the prevalence of violence against women in urban, peri-urban and rural settings. By working to put an end to the pervasive social norm of toleration for sexual and other vio¬lence against women, PCI’s programming in South Africa will go far to restore women’s basic sexual and human rights.
Download PCI/South Africa Country Fact Sheet (PDF)
|
