The 1st for Women Foundation
Fearlessly fighting GBV 24/7/365
We live in what our President has called ‘one of the most unsafe places in the world to be a woman’. A country where more than 890 women are killed and 9,252 are raped over a three-month period, where 95% of women feel unsafe according to a survey of 6611 South African women. The issue of women abuse is pressing and multifaceted. Addressing the deep-rooted attitudes and systems that perpetuate gender inequality is crucial. In 2019, 1st for Women, in collaboration with the Department of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities and UN Women, pledged to make the fight against women abuse and gender-based violence a year-round priority, not just for 16 days.
Fearlessly fighting
GBV since 2005
The 1st for Women Foundation has been fearlessly fighting GBV since 2005. With the support of our customers, the 1st for Women Foundation has raised over R98 million for woman abuse causes and has made a tangible and sustainable difference to the lives of over 102 000 women.
1st for Women’s Diepsloot-based preventative and response programme takes into account and addresses the root cause of the epidemic through education. Its school-based learning programme for children aged three to 18. Through this programme, beneficiaries are equipped with:
- Social and emotional intelligence and values-based skills to end discriminatory mindsets and the cycle of violence.
- Self-esteem, physical alertness and body consciousness training for girls.
- The ‘Peace is a Decision Programme’ for boys, which is focused on training and equipping boys with the necessary social courage to challenge cultural norms that condone violence against women and girls, and to intervene when girls and women are being abused.
- Training for parents, caregivers, teachers and school leaders.
- A holistic self-defence programme to engage, educate and empower communities to stop violence against women and girls.
1st for Women’s programme also includes a comprehensive community-based support programme for survivors of abuse (from trauma to prosecution) and a safe, easily-accessible and informative tech-enabled solution to provide South African youth with sex education on their cellphones and assist users in making informed decisions about their sexual health.
Our beneficiaries
To support our commitment to combating gender-based violence (GBV), 1st for Women collaborates with various organisations and initiatives that share our vision. We support the following organisations in our efforts to combat GBV. Click on the logos for more information about our beneficiaries.
What our beneficiaries have to say: