Inside Story

Can violence against women be stopped?

Women in South Africa protest against a long-running problem of gender-based abuse.

Thousands of women have marched across South Africa against gender-based violence.

The demonstrations were organised by a campaign called ‘Total Shutdown’.

South Africa has one of the highest rates of violence against women. Last year alone, around 70,000 women were victims of sexual assault.

Now, protesters are calling on the government to take action.

What can be done to stop violence against women, not just in South Africa but around the world?

 

Presenter: Peter Dobbie

Guests:

Lerato Motaung – activist and part of South Africa’s ‘Total Shutdown’ movement.

Purna Sen – UN Women’s director of policy and spokesperson on addressing sexual harassment and other forms of discrimination

Scheaffer Okore – programme manager for Siasa Place, an NGO that educates and engages youth on how politics affects society