Roughly 1 in 3 women in South Africa have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. It’s one of the reasons why gender-based violence (GBV) is classified as a national disaster, meaning government has to fast-track its response and can use extraordinary measures to do it.

But the money doesn’t match the mandate. Government remains the biggest funder, yet spending falls short of its own commitments. Corporate funding is substantial but short-term, tied to campaigns or once-off contributions, while international funders direct most of their money to health and education, with less flowing to GBV.

All the while, the legislated umbrella body meant to coordinate a cross-sector response is still finding its feet. The outcome: a fragmented approach to a devastating problem, with response services getting the bulk of resources while prevention, research and coordination are underfunded. Community-based organisations doing frontline work, especially in rural areas, are left to get by on shoestring budgets.

In this episode, we talk to Nobesuthu Sam, Project Manager at Amandla Development, Titi Kabi, Manager at Bridgespan Africa and Busisiwe Kabane-Bailey, Innovation Director at DGMT, about why funding for GBV is fragmented, short-term and out of step with what communities need.

Visit www.dgmt.co.za/whos-paying-to-end-gbv to read more and access the takeaway instructions.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Some assumptions are hard to shake, especially when they feel intuitive. Take the idea that economic growth is the primary driver of job creation — an argument that politicians have long made. But data is increasingly telling a different story. Growth can happen without a rise in new jobs, a phenomenon known as “jobless growth”, where the economy produces value — counted as GDP — but employment doesn’t go up. In South Africa, labour force data since 2008 shows that economic growth is decoupled from youth employment — it doesn’t translate into jobs for young people.

Even when the economy grows, the formal sector isn’t able to create enough jobs for the people who need them. Not even rapid growth can close this gap. So, if growth isn’t the answer, what is? Bringing down youth unemployment requires a combination of interventions across a young person’s journey, including state-funded public employment programmes, which act as a support scaffold for those in low-income communities.

In this podcast, we challenge assumptions about youth unemployment with Dr Kate Philip, Programme Lead at the Presidential Employment Stimulus, and explore why she thinks public employment programmes should be here to stay.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za

Teenage years are typically defined by change — moving from being a child to becoming an adult. At the same time, teens are forming a sense of who they are and where they fit in the world. This is important because when they understand themselves, they make better choices and feel confident and connected. This process is often thought of as an entirely personal journey. Instead, teenagers build their sense of who they are — made up of purpose, belonging, self-worth and agency — through the people and systems around them. This includes their family, friends, community and the services available to them.

When those support systems are missing, teens may struggle and turn to risky or harmful behaviour when things get hard. When those systems are strong, teens do better — they’re more confident, hopeful and resilient. And that doesn’t just help them; it helps their families and communities too.

Here’s the problem in South Africa: no single department is responsible for supporting teen identity, and although civil society has stepped in to provide adolescent-focused services and programmes in communities, they’re not comprehensive enough to reach everyone. What we need is a national response informed by an adolescent wellbeing framework.

In this episode, we talk to Shirley Eadie from the Hold My Hand Accelerator about why teen identity is a public policy issue.

The Learning Lunch podcast features three types of episodes: Deep Dives; Nourish & Flourish; and Best Bites.

Each podcast/learning lunch session is structured as follows:
The Main Meal - A ±30-minute podcast
The Takeaways - Instructions for a ±30-minute group reflection based on what you listened to.

To learn more about the work that we do, go to www.dgmt.co.za