To: President Cyril Ramaphosa & The South African Government

65 Years Movement against Gender Based Violence

South Africa is currently the rape capital of the world. Women, queer people and people of colour are not safe to exist as themselves. We are tired. We demand change.

This petition endorses the demands set out in the anti-GBV Memorandum by Anti-GBV Su, a group of Stellenbosch University's students and staff members actively working to end Gender Based Violence on campus and around the country (the link to the memorandum can be found below). We believe every human being deserves their basic needs met and their best chance at life simply because they are human. This petition is a demand for the betterment of the condition of all who live in South Africa and a demand for our rights to stop being violated. We demand the South African Government to adopt this memorandum.

This petition will be both online and physical to be as inclusive as possible. It will be handed over on the 9th of August 2021, 65 years after the original Women's Day march.

Why is this important?

Everyone deserves to exist in safety. Nobody should have to fear for their safety and their lives.
South Africa's Gender Based Violence rates are the highest in the world and not enough is being done to prevent it. Victims aren't protected. Shelters are grossly underfunded. Perpetrators are not held accountable and are even protected.

The government can't stop at just punishment. Gender Based Violence should not exist at all.
South Africa's institution was created by men for men and is currently mostly run by men. The institution does not do nearly enough to protect people and completely prevent Gender Based Violence. The system is rooted in inequality thus the entire system needs to change. We need to stand together, demanding for all people in South Africa to be protected.

This memorandum is just the start.

Memorandum:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1WVASYZoLGognNBjWjqPGAOr56AXdNISz/view?usp=sharing

References:
https://www.news24.com/news24/MyNews24/The-Rape-Capital-of-the-World-20140821

https://tbsnews.net/world/countries-highest-rape-incidents-144499

https://www.iol.co.za/the-star/news/gender-based-violence-shelters-grossly-underfunded-17697447

https://www.enca.com/news/gbv-safe-houses-underfunded-claim-govt-has-not-paid-promised-millions

https://esaro.unfpa.org/en/news/call-out-perpetrators-gbv-end-violence-against-women-and-girls

https://www.news24.com/news24/columnists/guestcolumn/opinion-sa-police-neither-serving-nor-protecting-gbv-victims-20201116

https://health-e.org.za/2020/11/25/anc-mpumalanga-rape-case/#:~:text=A%20high%20ranking%20ANC%20official,after%20being%20released%20on%20bail.&text=Gender%20activists%20are%20shocked%20by,conditions%20relaxed%20following%20his%20reinstatement