Short outline for project on engaging citizens.

1. 1
Addressing
gender
violence in
traditional
rural
communities
Engaging citizens – a game
changer in development
Coursera/World/Bank
8 April, 2015

2. 2
This is about the context! (the starting point – right??)
This is what we mean by remote rural areas!
This is a rural family home in South Africa
• Poor housing
• No roads
• No electricity
• No water
• No sanitation
But it is home to an extended family of about
8-12 people
…and the nearest home on the next hill
…and these are the areas that most service
providers avoid because donors want cost
effective “results.” Working here is costly
and time consuming and the results are
not always pleasing.

3. 3
More about the context! !
… and this is part of the family
… and this is where they fetch
water and do the laundry
… and this is how they collect the
fuel for cooking and heating
…and this is how food gets cooked

4. 4
Even more about the context!
So what can they do?
• Dial 999 and call an ambulance and
the police? NO! There is no road and no
telephone!
• Go to the nearest clinic? NO! Its too far!
• Go to the women’s shelter? NO! There
is no shelter!
So what do they do?
• They discuss it as a family to try and
resolve the problem.
• They may decide to take the matter
to the Tribal Court where it will be
discussed.
• The perpetrator may be fined a goat
or a sum of money for his actions.
• .. But the gender violence goes on
and on and on…
.. But ugly things can happen in these
communities especially to women.
.. Perpetrators may be taken to the
Chiefs court and he fines them a goat

5. 5
So how bad is the problem?
Some of the research findings
Overall 36.1% women have experienced GBV while 40.5% men have perpetrated GBV in their
lifetime in Kwazulu Natal Province. The most common form of violence is intimate partner violence.
Intimate partner violence and rape are hugely underreported both to police and to health care
facilities. Only one in five women (3.9%) who were physical abused by intimate partners in their
lifetime sought medical attention after injuries. An even lower proportion of women reported the
incidents to the police. Only one in ten (2.0%) of physically abused women have reported to police.
One in every seven (0.7%) women that were raped by non-partners in their lifetime reported to the
police. A lesser proportion of women sought medical attention. One in eight women (0.6%) sought
medical attention after non-partner rape.”
GENDERLINKS: EXTENT OF GENDER BASED VIOLENCE IN KWAZULU NATAL PROVINCE Findings of
the GBV Indicators Research Project 2013
As stated above under reporting of sexual abuse is a serious problem. In the case of this province
with its large rural population only 11,961 cases were reported in 2014 (Crime Stats
http://www.crimestatssa.com/province.php?ShowProvince=Kwazulu-Natal) which if we follow
some of the estimates above reflects about 0.7% of the actual cases. A major problem is that the
criminal justice system does not have a good of successful prosecutions which can leave women
feeling at greater risk.

6. 6
So what can be done?
The purpose of the citizen engagement project would be to involve key stakeholders in
an information and awareness programme about gender violence
How would this be done?
• Using a strategic approach which would have a phased longer term plan (6 months
to a year) and make use of many tools.
• Committing to highly participatory consensus based approaches and tools that
resonant with the communitarian values of traditional communities. Community
dialogues would be a very important tool.
• The only ICTs of relevance here are radio and maybe here and there patchy
connectivity to mobile phones. The radio should be used to advise of and report
on events relating to the project as well as interview some of the stakeholders and
community leaders.
• A thick deliberative approach would be adopted designed to resonate with
traditional ways of undertaking community consultations such as imbizos (a
meeting called by elders to discuss a community concern)
• Bringing in key stakeholders such as government departments responsible for
health, welfare and safety and security so that connections between gender
violence and health, and family well being, and crime can be developed.
• Establishing and training a community chosen forum to address gender equality
and violence which is linked and reports to and engages with the traditional
authority.

7. 7
Moving to action!
Community dialogues are about meeting
the people where they are in groups -
some large some small and encouraging
dialogue as two way communication on
pertinent issues
From dialogues there would be a shift
to training around issues identified in
the dialogues to strengthen the
understanding and response to gender
violence

8. 8
So what makes this Citizen Engagement Project
special?
Strengths
• Much attention is being paid to local context as the project . It is targeting a
community that is often neglected if not avoided by development service
providers.
• It links in with the communitarian values and traditional leadership structures
and is designed to resonant with the positives that characterise those
communities.
• It serves to link groups and build relationships with service providers who can
provide support and assistance to those affected by gender violence and
ensure that protocols are followed for dealing with rape and child abuse.
• Participants would want to participate as the rate of gender violence is
increasing and current responses are inadequate as local people are not
informed of their rights and newer legal frameworks for dealing with gender
abuse.
• The initiative would contribute to human development as women become
more empowered to rise above their current subservient status.

9. 9
But what about the ICTs???
Most ICTs are irrelevant to these isolated communities.
My question is who is planning outreach and development
programmes for these isolated communities?
…. Or should they also pack up and join the throngs of people in
informal settlements around cities?

10. 9
But what about the ICTs???
Most ICTs are irrelevant to these isolated communities.
My question is who is planning outreach and development
programmes for these isolated communities?
…. Or should they also pack up and join the throngs of people in
informal settlements around cities?