Question NW2239 to the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
22 October 2020 - NW2239
Sharif, Ms NK to ask the Minister in The Presidency for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities
(1)What funding model will be used to finance the (a) National Council for Gender-based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and (b) initiatives that were undertaken with the R17 million funding from the Solidarity Fund in regard to the National Strategic Plan used to support victims of GBVF; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details; (3) whether she will furnish Ms N K Shariff with information on how the Covid-19 relief funds were used to assist women through Pillar 4 of the National Strategic Plan; if not, what is the position in this regard; if so, what are the relevant details? NW2811E
Reply:
(a) The Department is in discussion with National Treasury on how the Council will be funded.
(b) The National Strategic Plan on Gender Based Violence & Femicide (GBVF-NSP) is still being costed. The costing will determine the model for funding that will be adopted.
(2) The R17m from the Solidarity Fund was allocated towards;
Adding in the scale up of the GBV Command Centre to handle the increase in GBV related cases through the recruitment and training of social worker supervisors, trauma training for social workers and the procurement of equipment, data and furniture;
Supporting the 78 shelters under the National Shelter Movement and the 55 Thuthuzela Care Centres with funding for PPE and critical medical services; and
Implementing a communication campaign to increase awareness and information about the services available at the shelters and the GBV Command Centre.
(3) The COVID-19 relief funds were used for pillar 4:
The purpose of Pillar 4 is to provide Response, Care, Support and Healing to victims of Gender Based Violence. It further ensures that all relevant departments within the Criminal Justice System enhance their interventions to respond on time in an integrated manner, provide psycho-social support and eliminate or minimize secondary victimization.
A number of strategies and related interventions were developed and implemented to minimise the negative impact of COVID-19 on women. These included increases in social grants, the introduction of the Special COVID-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant, the distribution of food parcels and the establishment of homeless shelters.
Furthermore, according to the Department of Social Development COVID-19 Progress Report (August 2020) there are 134 GBV shelters in place as well as 193 new shelters which were established for homeless people, catering for 11 851 women and men as from April to July 2020.
Counselling and psychosocial services were provided, with 174 831 people reached from April to June 2020, for affected and infected persons and their families. The statistics from the Department of Social Development GBV Command Centre reveal that, since the lockdown, the Centre received 1 275 cases for GBV from March to May 2020. The Centre also received calls for counselling, and enquiries pertaining to substance abuse.
To address evidence of increased food insecurity and hunger of women and their families, the Department of Social Development led the distribution of food parcels to qualifying families. A total of 8 951 204 food parcels were distributed from April to August 2020.