The Concept Document for 16 Days of Activism

Concept Document - Campaign 2008

The following document has been produced by the Department of Provincial and Local Government's Campaign Secretariat. (please contact them directly with any comments: 012 334 0803)

•  Background
•  Campaign Vision
•  The Campaign's Objectives
•  The Campaign Mechanism
•  Government's Calendar of Events
•  Communication Strategy
•  Particiapating Companies, Parastatals and NGOs
•  Campaign Impact
•  Call To Action
•  Implementation
•  Budget

Background

 The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children is a United Nations campaign. It takes place annually from the 25th November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to the 10th December (International Human Rights Day). Since 1999 the South African Government has run a parallel campaign that includes issues relating to violence against children. This campaign focuses primarily on generating an increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children as well as society as a whole.

 The National Convener for the Campaign is the Deputy Minister of the Department of Provincial and Local Government (DPLG) Ms. Nomatyala Hangana. The vision of the Deputy Minister is that the campaign is taken to the people at grass roots level and beyond the borders of South Africa. DPLG, as the lead department, is working closely with the Special Programmes Directorate in the Presidency as well as other government departments. In addition, strategic partnerships between government, civil society and business, have been established to broaden the potential impact of the campaign.

 The Local government policy and legislative framework creates an enabling environment for gender equality, empowerment and the participation of women and other disadvantaged groups in developmental initiatives.

 The White Paper on Local Government (1998), the Local Government Municipal Structures Act, 1998 (No 17 of 1998), the Local Government Municipal Systems Act, 2000 (No 32 of 2000), and the Traditional Leadership and Governance Framework Act, 2003 (No 41 of 2003) constitute part of the policy and legislative environment within which local government transformation takes place. These mechanisms specify measures to advance women's leadership, development and quality of life.

 Cabinet approved South Africa's National Policy Framework for Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality in 2002. The Gender Policy Framework outlines South Africa's vision for gender equality, its overarching principles and defines the terms of reference for various stakeholders in the development and implementation of sectoral policies and programmes. Government departments are therefore required to develop their own policies in line with the national framework.

 In the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region the campaign has gained significant momentum through the adoption of the Addendum on the Prevention and Eradication of Violence against Women and Children by the SADC Heads of State in the year 1998. Hence, the Deputy Minister's vision to establish good working relationships with the SADC region to jointly fight against the scourge of violence against women and children.

 During the 2004 Campaign, President Thabo Mbeki reiterated that the Campaign should be extended to 365 days of the year. As a result of this the 16 days of Activism campaign will spread its activities over a period of 365 days in order to enhance the campaigns effectiveness.

 The 2007 campaign focus is on generating increased awareness of the negative impact of violence on women and children at grass roots level. Taking the campaign to the people in the rural areas and across all the Provinces. Adopting and implementing the National Action Plan for eradicating gender-based violence through out the 365 days of the year. As a result the Deputy Minister as the National Convener, developed an Implementation Plan for the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign for the 365 days of the year.

Campaign Vision

An effective 16 Days of Activism Campaign that translates into sustainable 365 Days of Action to end violence against women and children within a coordinated system of government and through partnerships with all spheres of government.

A well coordinated Campaign that will reach the grass root level of the country and good working relations with regional and international partners.

The Campaign's Objectives

• To generate an increased level of awareness amongst South Africans pertaining to the incidence of violence perpetuated against women and children, how it manifests itself within South African society and the negative impact on these vulnerable groups;
• To challenge perpetrators of these offences to change their behaviour;
• To enhance and increase partnerships between government, the private sector, civil society, organised labour, sectoral groups, faith based organisations, the media (electronic and print) and the diplomati-corps in an effort to spread the message;
• To align events in the national programme with that of the international theme for the year, which focuses on matters relating to Women's Human Rights.
• To raise funds for Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO's), Community Based Organisations (CBO's) and Faith Based Organisations (FBO's) that work within the sector, providing invaluable support to the victims and survivors of violence;
• To communicate through the most effective and appropriate channels aiming to reach the maximum number of people across the country, particularly women and children residing in the rural areas;
• To engage actively with men and boys in the discourse about combating violence in our homes, our communities and in the workplace;
• To highlight the stories of survivors of gender-based violence and the impact that the campaign has had on their lives;
• To strengthen relationships beyond the South African borders with regards to the elimination of violence against women and children.
• To create awareness around the link between HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence.

The Campaign Mechanism

South Africans are called to support the campaign by utilising the white ribbon symbol in innovative and inventive ways to reflect solidarity. By wearing these ribbons for the duration of the year with specific emphasis on the 16-day period, employers and employees will provide an effective and striking visual tool through which to elicit campaign support.  Unions and professional organisations will also be encouraged to garner support within their ranks alongside members and representatives from the sporting fraternity.  The white ribbon is synonymous with the campaign and should not be distorted in any way.

The "Torch of Peace" forms a link between the 16 Days of Activism Campaign and other major national campaigns that support the thematic programmes that underpin Government's national outreach activities.

Government's Calendar of Events

National, Provincial and Local Government representatives in the National Gender Machinery prepare sector-specific, rural-and urban-based activities for the campaign.  This information is fed into a national calendar of events, overseen and managed by the 16 Days of Activism Secretariat in the Deputy Minister's Office. 

Communication Strategy

Government Communications and Information Systems (GCIS) and the broader media play a key strategic role in developing communication strategies and plans for the campaign. The GCIS is to develop a 365 Days communications strategic plan that includes the activities on the Implementation Plan for the 16 Day of Activism Campaign mentioned above. This Implementation plan has been attached to this document for easy reference. (Annexure A)

 The interventions include a combination of formal advertising slots with public service announcements, participation in talk shows, magazine programmes and media information sessions.  Radio advertising, targeting the various regions and specific language groups will form the backbone of the broader outreach programme. 

Participating Companies, Parastatals and NGOs

 Participating partners will be requested to feature the campaign logo extensively in internal publications and correspondence, on their websites and in messaging to their clients. 

They will also be asked to feature the campaign logo on product adverts and as part of their individual advertising campaigns.  Corporate donations will be sought to augment the fundraising initiative on behalf of NGOs working with victims and survivors of violence.

 Employers and employees will be encouraged to support the white ribbon campaign and to source their white ribbons (beaded, ceramic or lint fabric) from women's empowerment groups that supply these lapel buttons, pins and ribbons.  A database of preferred service providers has been compiled.

Campaign Impact

 The combination of Government, business and civil society activities and interventions, the envisaged saturation of media coverage via advertising, public service announcements, interviews and editorial pronouncements in conjunction with the extensive education campaign will undoubtedly contribute to a heightened national awareness of the issues related to violence and the importance of integrated solutions to the problem. The drive to take the Campaign to grass roots level will ensure that the campaign reaches those rural areas that are often then not left out.

Call To Action

 The rights of women and children are fundamental human rights entrenched in and protected by the Constitution.  They are thus inalienable from, integral to and indivisible from the human rights framework.  Gender-based violence in all its different guises is incompatible with the dignity and worth of the human person, and must be eliminated. Hence, the call to society is "Don't Look Away, Act Against Abuse."

Implementation

 The DPLG is equipped with the resources to reach all communities of South Africa at grass roots level. In most cases those most affected by violence are in these areas and are usually not aware of the resources and services available to them to help them cope with their circumstances.

 DPLG is able to reach these groups through our ward committees who can utilise their resources and plan activities to reach this target group. Programmes can be developed to include this group in activities and offer a service to them.

 This can be achieved through the Implementation Plan for the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign for the 365 days of the year, developed by Deputy Minister as the National Convener. (Annexure A)

Budget

 The dplg is to provide funding for the operation of the campaign in partnership with other government departments and stakeholders in the realisation of the broader activities of the campaign. Hosting Provinces will be requested via the Presidency to assist in the funding of the opening and closing ceremonies and other programmes taking place in their Provinces. Government Communication and Information Systems (GCIS) will fund all media and communication costs.

 Fundraising initiatives are to be implemented in order to raise funds from business, embassies and private organisations to support activities and campaign projects that enhance service delivery directed at victims of abuse.