The City of Cape Town joins the rest of the nation in commemorating Women’s Day, to celebrate the resilience and role of women in our communities and to highlight the challenges they face on a daily basis.
Women’s Day originated as a protest against pass laws, but today we are fighting against other ills that directly impact on women.This year Women’s Day also brings into focus the impact of Covid-19, GBV and other social issues women have to contend with.
In local government, we believe in creating a safe and prosperous environment for all residents and in particular our vulnerable groups.The City implements a number of programmes to advance the plight and rights of women, including:
· An extensive GBV campaign, including partnering with various organisations like the Women’s Shelter Movement and Women Lead
· A contribution of R1,1 million towards external programmes to reduce the incidence of GBV
· A budget of just over R1 million for City-run GBV programmes
· Men’s Programme – working with men to reduce violence against women and children
· Pledge signed by men to end GBV
· Women for Change Programme – an empowerment programme for women through creating employment opportunities for women whilst building their capacity and teaching new skills
· Working with older women and women with disabilities through awareness on services available and where to report abuse and neglect
· Ensuring the participation of vulnerable women in all our programmes through workshops, dialogues, seminars, events and training programmes
Similarly we believe in supporting survivors of GBV through creating safe spaces for women to share their experiences and doing appropriate referrals to our partner organisations.
Ordinary residents can become part of the City programmes and join the campaign against GBV by learning how to spot abuse and speaking about it actively, at home and in the community. Together we can break the cycle of abuse, empower women to take their rightful place in society and create a city we are proud of.
The City of Cape Town is also one of 13 cities around the world to participate in the first global “Inform Women, Transform Lives” campaign. The campaign aims to enhance awareness of women’s rights to information; to increase the number of women accessing information about municipal and social services in participating cities, and to support these local governments in reaching women with meaningful information.
The City’s Library and Information Service implemented this programme, whereby women are able to access information through SmartCape.Residents who want to get more information on City Programmes can contact our Social Development and Early Childhood Development Department at socialdevelopment@capetown.gov.za
