Programme Director,

Vice Chancellor of the CPUT – Dr Chris Nhlapo
UN Women Country Director – Ms Anne Githuku
Representative of the Dept of Women – Dr Wiseman Magasela
Representative of the Dept of Justice – Adv Hishaam Mohamed
Leadership and representatives of the student movement
CPUT staff and students

I am pleased to join you as we launch the CPUT Gender-Based Violence Policy this morning. At the very outset of my remarks, I wish to commend the CPUT for its progressive approach in developing this policy.  

It is significant that the launch of this policy takes place in Women’s Month where the nation is challenged, confronted, provoked, motivated and activated in the struggle for the liberation of women, for gender equality, for women’s empowerment and their rightful place in a democratic South Africa.

We are reminded of the many women who have contributed to the liberation of this country and for gender equality.  We particularly remember Mama Albertina Sisulu in this centenary year of her birth.  As we honour these brave and gallant women, we cannot remain oblivious to the persistent and pervasive gender discrimination and inequality within our society. The struggle is not over.
 
Gender-based violence (GBV), including rape and other forms of sexual harassment remains one of the foremost challenges that we have to tackle hand in hand as citizens and government.
GBV is a violation of the dignity and rights of women and it compromises women’s health, wellbeing and educational performance. We therefore cannot treat GBV with a ‘business as usual ‘attitude.
 
The scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) within institutions of higher learning has been a constant plague that interferes with students’ studies and careers. It corrupts the integrity of the education system and erodes the constitutional rights to equality, dignity and freedom from all forms of violence. Our institutions of higher learning are microcosms of society and will thus reflect the status-quo of our nation.
 
Gender-based violence is an issue that is very prevalent in our higher education sector. The following statistics from the HEAIDS 2009 Prevalence Survey speak for themselves:
39% of students and 60 % of staff feel unsafe on campus
62% felt that female students would be sexually harassed at their higher education institution
 The survey showed that male dominance was supported by male students and accepted by females
 28% of males and 27% of females (aged 15-19) believed that a girl did not have the right to refuse sex with her boyfriend
 55% of males and 54% of females thought that “sexual violence does not include forcing sex with someone you know”.
These statistics are reflective of the society that we live in where personal safety is in constant jeopardy. Patriarchy prevails as strong as ever and women are constantly having to contest for their rightful space in society. As institutions of higher learning, we need to confront these realities and disrupt these norms.
 
We know that one of the most common forms of gender-based violence in the higher education sector is sexual harassment of staff and students.
Research informs us that the victims of sexual harassment, in particular ‘sex for marks practices’, is rife within our institutions of higher learning. As it is the case generally in our society, the survivors of sexual harassment and rape often do not come forward and report the incidents, and that leads to a culture of silence on gender-based violence at our institutions.
 
We are here to encourage and support survivors of gender-based and sexual violence to speak out. We also want to make them aware that should you not want to speak out publicly, then there are channels open for you to make sure that you do not suffer in silence.
 
It is against this background that the Department of Higher Education and Training, through the HEAIDS Centre, will soon be adopting as policy the first ever framework for addressing gender-based violence at universities and colleges.
 
HEAIDS, the Departments’ agency for HIV, TB, STIs and related health, wellness and development programmes, was tasked with the development of the framework, which is likely to be gazetted and finalised for release in the third quarter of 2018.
 
The framework provides a set of standards and guidelines for universities and colleges in the public sector to take civil action against perpetrators, of GBV on campus, whether the perpetrators be students, lecturer or institution personnel.  Our institutions need to ensure that their policies adequately address the needs of survivors of sexual offences.
 
Reporting of sexual offences needs to be taken seriously such that any individual thinking of committing such a heinous crime should know what awaits them in terms of punishment.
But also, depending on the severity of offence, we should also apply corrective measures.  
 
We must strengthen collaborations with other government departments, and agents, such as the Departments of Social Development; Justice and Constitutional Development; the South African Police Services; and the National Prosecuting Authority.
 
It is through partnerships that we will manage to make a significant difference in our higher education system. The collaborations between campus security and the SAPS in crime prevention initiatives and in responding to sexual offences must be strengthened. We are also focusing on lobbying support from different partners and stakeholders to generate a cohesive comprehensive response that centres on survivors.
 
 In launching this Gender Based Violence Policy today, I am glad that the CPUT is motivating other higher education institutions to develop similar policies.  
I am also pleased that your policy is very closely aligned to the draft Gender Based Violence Policy developed by HEAIDS in partnership with the higher education sector.  
 
In closing, I would like to request our institutions to strengthen security measures at the campuses; increase efforts to care and support GBV survivors; report gender-based and sexual violence immediately; act decisively where such cases are reported and with a level of certainty where perpetrators are known.
 
I also want to acknowledge the partnership with the United Nations Women as they have worked closely with HEAIDS and the DHET in developing the Gender Based Violence Policy.
 
Once again, I congratulate the CPUT on the launch of this policy and I urge you to pay particular attention to its effective implementation.  
 
I thank you.