ActionAid South Africa’s (AASA) partner, the Thohoyandou Victim Empowerment Programme (TVEP) is hosting a Girl’s Club Conference in Thohoyandou on the 1st December 2015, with the intention of show casing an initiative funded by the London-based NGO, Comic Relief. This initiative, called Sexual Violence in Schools of South Africa (SeVISSA) aims to eradicate sexual violence in schools through a holistic approach, by ensuring that the school and the community around it takes ownership of their own challenges, as well as the solutions, through a School Stakeholder Forum elected for this purpose. This forum is composed of representatives of key institutions that have influence over the school, such as the SGB, the SAPS, government departments and traditional leaders. TVEP’s role is to guide the process, and to provide technical assistance and support where required.
Timed to take place during the 16 Days of Activism, the theme of the conference is Girls’ Empowered to Speak Out! This follows AASA conducting baseline research in SeVISSA-participating schools located in Gauteng and Limpopo, through The Teddy Bear Clinic (Johannesburg, Krugersdorp and Soweto); TVEP and Xihlobo Xa Ndivho (Vhembe District, Limpopo). The findings are gathered from the voices, experiences and opinions of more than 400 learners, making it invaluable for advocacy and policy-making.
According to the on-going study, the preliminary findings state that 79% of learners in Gauteng and 28% in Limpopo who are under the age of 16-years-old said they are engaging in sexual activities. 61% of learners said the main reason they are falling pregnant is due to unprotected sex. 45% of learners in Gauteng and 49% in Limpopo said boys force girls to have sex. One out of every five learners said they feel pressured by educators to have sex with them. 9% of learners admitted to being raped, while at just one school, 33% said they had been raped.
63% of educators stated that the learner tends to hide their pregnancy, while 50% feel that the schools are supportive of teenage girls who fall pregnant. 22% of learners stated that the school does nothing. 52% of Gauteng learners said that educators tried to discourage teenage pregnancies and encourage learners to complete their schooling. In one school in Gauteng, 10% of learners said that educators would punish and embarrass learners who fall pregnant.
Another key element of the initiative is the establishment of Girl’s Clubs, through which our future leaders can be empowered and prepared to take their place in society, able to demand their rights in a responsible and democratic manner. Through the Girl’s Clubs, pupils are encouraged to speak out against all forms of abuse, including the failure of some schools to implement DoE policy, and departments that don’t deliver in accordance with their mandates.
The general theme of this year’s 16 Days is “Peace in the Home”. However, TVEP is concerned that this will not be interpreted as an excuse for people to tolerate abuse, for the sake of “keeping the peace”. Abused people cannot feel peace, so “peace in the home” must be real, and not pretence.
At the conference 160 girls, from 4 local schools will present on the following:
· Challenges that impede the delivery of fair education for all
· Positive aspects that supports education
· Possible solutions they could aid and encourage learning, and
· A summary of SeVISSA achievements
The event is taking place tomorrow at Porche Villa conference centre in Thohoyandou in Limpopo.
For more information contact Rachel on empowermentmanager@tvep.org.za
For interviews contact Katherine V Robinson – katherine.robinson@actionaid.org / Mob: +27 (0) 72 576 5297
Issued by ActionAid