The annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign will be launched on 25 November and continue through to 10 December. The 2025 global theme is “UNiTE to End Digital Violence against All Women and Girls,” focusing on making digital spaces safer and more inclusive. The aim of the annual Campaign is to create awareness, advocate for the prevention and eradication of Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF); and to provide support to victims and survivors.
Digital tools are increasingly being used to stalk, harass, and abuse women and girls. This includes image-based abuse; cyberbullying; trolling, online threats and sexual harassment; AI-generated deepfakes such as sexually explicit images, deepfake pornography, and digitally manipulated images, videos or audio; hate speech and disinformation; and online stalking, which often lead to offline violence in real life.
Other focus areas for the 2025 Campaign include: Promoting positive masculinity as a transformative strategy to prevent GBVF and enhancing economic empowerment of women and vulnerable groups whilst creating safe and inclusive workplaces and promoting Letsema, a Sesotho word that refers to a traditional practice of voluntary communal work, which is a national call for a whole-of-society approach to end GBVF.
Findings from the Femicide Survey (SAMRC) indicate that South Africa tragically holds the highest femicide rate globally, highlighting the most extreme form of GBV. The statutory rape and sexual abuse of children remain a national cause for concern, remaining a major reason for school dropout and a failure for girls to reach their full potential, perpetuating cycles of poverty and vulnerability. Data from the Department of Social Development shows that the Eastern Cape alone reported over 1,100 sexual abuse cases in the 2024/2025 financial year, with districts like Nelson Mandela Bay and OR Tambo recording the highest prevalence. Across Gauteng, similar patterns emerge. The Department of Health recorded over 100,000 adolescent deliveries between 2020 and 2025, a figure that masks the true scale of statutory rape since many of these pregnancies result from exploitative relationships. Behind these statistics lie the lived realities of children whose lives are irreversibly altered. Many drop out of school, suffer stigma and trauma, or are forced into early motherhood. Others remain invisible, their abuse never reported, their pain never acknowledged.
Schools occupy a unique and critical position in the eradication of GBVF. Teachers, principals, and support staff are often the first to notice changes in learners’ behaviour, attendance, or well-being that may indicate abuse. Yet, evidence shows that many educators lack the training, confidence, or institutional support to act on such suspicions. Educators must act as the first line of defence, trained and empowered to recognize and report abuse. School Governing Bodies and parents must create safe channels for learners to disclose abuse without fear. The DBE, working closely with other Departments will continue to protect every learner’s right to safety, dignity, and education through coordinating their mandates through clear referral protocols and data integration.
Building safer, stronger societies and economies starts with ensuring that women and girls live free from violence. It starts in homes, workplaces, schools, and communities and requires the active participation of men and boys to help shape cultures and environments of equality and safety.