Since its launch in 2003, the Girl Empowerment Movement (GEM) and the Boy Empowerment Movement (BEM), developed by UNICEF in partnership with the DBE, have gone from strength to strength. GEM/BEM is a social movement of choice for secondary school learners as they endeavour to address challenges they face in their daily lives. Matters such as social cohesion, nation building, gender equity, human rights, and bullying is amongst the topics addressed through this movement to create socially aware and values driven future leaders.

UNICEF and the DBE are in the process of developing an Application (App) to enhance the GEM/BEM active citizenship on Life Orientation issues, in particular. The Application will offer a platform for learners and the responsible co-ordinator to register per school, district and province. The development of the Application will therefore allow greater coordination and participation amongst the learners, as well as educators and coordinators. The development of the App is at an advanced stage and field testing is anticipated to take place during August 2019. The launch is scheduled to take place before the end of the year at an identified school.

Ms Dululu Hlatshaneni, Acting Director for Social Cohesion, Community Mobilisation and Equity in Education said that, “A main benefit of the App will be the recording of evidence of social ills such as bullying at various schools in a major drive to curb this disturbing phenomenon which impacts negatively on teaching and learning, as well as the psychosocial welfare of school-going children”.