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