,DPR2605 ASSIGNMENT 2 SEMESTER 2 ANSWERS - DUE DATE: 10 SEPTEMBER 2026
1. INTRODUCTION
Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remains one of the most serious social, human-
rights and public-health challenges facing South Africa. It affects women and children in
homes, communities, schools, workplaces and public spaces, while also affecting broader
society through trauma, economic costs, family disruption and the reproduction of harmful
gender norms. The South African government has therefore treated GBVF as a national crisis
requiring coordinated intervention from government, civil society, communities, traditional
and religious leaders, the private sector and individual citizens. The National Strategic Plan
on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF) provides the principal framework for
this response and is organised around six interconnected pillars: accountability, coordination
and leadership; prevention and rebuilding social cohesion; justice, safety and protection;
response, care, support and healing; economic empowerment; and research and information
management (South African Government, 2020).
The significance of prevention within this framework cannot be overstated. A criminal-
justice response is necessary after violence has occurred, but an effective long-term strategy
must also address the social conditions, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to violence
in the first place. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) identifies gender inequality,
harmful social norms, unequal power relations and environments that tolerate violence as
important factors that must be addressed through prevention. Its RESPECT Women
framework recommends strengthening relationship skills, empowering women, ensuring
services, reducing poverty, making environments safe, preventing child and adolescent abuse,
and transforming harmful attitudes, beliefs and norms (WHO, 2019).
South Africa's annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children
Campaign has become one of the country's most visible GBVF awareness initiatives. The
campaign runs annually from 25 November to 10 December and provides an important
opportunity for government, civil society and communities to communicate the seriousness
, of violence and encourage citizens to take action (South African Government, 2025).
However, the concentration of activities within sixteen days creates a potential weakness
when compared with the scale and persistence of the problem. Government has consequently
linked the campaign to a broader 365 Days of Activism approach, recognising that
preventing GBVF requires sustained action throughout the year rather than temporary
attention during an annual campaign.
This discussion therefore identifies a government GBV prevention intervention, considers the
urban-centred limitations that can affect campaigns such as 16 Days of Activism, examines
the prominence of People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and the lessons it offers to
other programmes, and proposes an intervention suitable for a 365-day national action
programme. The discussion further develops objectives for an intervention marketing
programme, proposes poster concepts, considers difficulties associated with evaluating
GBVF interventions, and concludes with a self-assessment, self-reflection and discussion of
teamwork.
2. IDENTIFICATION OF A GOVERNMENT GBV PREVENTION INTERVENTION
A significant government intervention that can be identified is the 365 Days of Activism for
No Violence Against Women and Children, which was officially launched in South Africa in
December 2019. The initiative was introduced because GBVF requires continuous attention
rather than awareness only during the traditional 16 Days of Activism period. Government
emphasised that GBVF is a societal problem requiring the participation of all South Africans
rather than an issue that can be addressed exclusively by the police, courts or social services
(South African Government, 2019).
The intervention is particularly important because it moves the focus from a short-term
awareness campaign towards sustained prevention. The traditional 16 Days Campaign
remains an important component, but the 365-day approach attempts to ensure that
prevention, education, community mobilisation, survivor support and accountability continue
beyond November and December. Government has explicitly described the 16 Days
1. INTRODUCTION
Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) remains one of the most serious social, human-
rights and public-health challenges facing South Africa. It affects women and children in
homes, communities, schools, workplaces and public spaces, while also affecting broader
society through trauma, economic costs, family disruption and the reproduction of harmful
gender norms. The South African government has therefore treated GBVF as a national crisis
requiring coordinated intervention from government, civil society, communities, traditional
and religious leaders, the private sector and individual citizens. The National Strategic Plan
on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP-GBVF) provides the principal framework for
this response and is organised around six interconnected pillars: accountability, coordination
and leadership; prevention and rebuilding social cohesion; justice, safety and protection;
response, care, support and healing; economic empowerment; and research and information
management (South African Government, 2020).
The significance of prevention within this framework cannot be overstated. A criminal-
justice response is necessary after violence has occurred, but an effective long-term strategy
must also address the social conditions, attitudes and behaviours that contribute to violence
in the first place. The World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) identifies gender inequality,
harmful social norms, unequal power relations and environments that tolerate violence as
important factors that must be addressed through prevention. Its RESPECT Women
framework recommends strengthening relationship skills, empowering women, ensuring
services, reducing poverty, making environments safe, preventing child and adolescent abuse,
and transforming harmful attitudes, beliefs and norms (WHO, 2019).
South Africa's annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children
Campaign has become one of the country's most visible GBVF awareness initiatives. The
campaign runs annually from 25 November to 10 December and provides an important
opportunity for government, civil society and communities to communicate the seriousness
, of violence and encourage citizens to take action (South African Government, 2025).
However, the concentration of activities within sixteen days creates a potential weakness
when compared with the scale and persistence of the problem. Government has consequently
linked the campaign to a broader 365 Days of Activism approach, recognising that
preventing GBVF requires sustained action throughout the year rather than temporary
attention during an annual campaign.
This discussion therefore identifies a government GBV prevention intervention, considers the
urban-centred limitations that can affect campaigns such as 16 Days of Activism, examines
the prominence of People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and the lessons it offers to
other programmes, and proposes an intervention suitable for a 365-day national action
programme. The discussion further develops objectives for an intervention marketing
programme, proposes poster concepts, considers difficulties associated with evaluating
GBVF interventions, and concludes with a self-assessment, self-reflection and discussion of
teamwork.
2. IDENTIFICATION OF A GOVERNMENT GBV PREVENTION INTERVENTION
A significant government intervention that can be identified is the 365 Days of Activism for
No Violence Against Women and Children, which was officially launched in South Africa in
December 2019. The initiative was introduced because GBVF requires continuous attention
rather than awareness only during the traditional 16 Days of Activism period. Government
emphasised that GBVF is a societal problem requiring the participation of all South Africans
rather than an issue that can be addressed exclusively by the police, courts or social services
(South African Government, 2019).
The intervention is particularly important because it moves the focus from a short-term
awareness campaign towards sustained prevention. The traditional 16 Days Campaign
remains an important component, but the 365-day approach attempts to ensure that
prevention, education, community mobilisation, survivor support and accountability continue
beyond November and December. Government has explicitly described the 16 Days
