ActionSA Calls on Communities: It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
Press Statement by Kholofelo Morodi
ActionSA Gauteng Women’s Forum Provincial Chairperson
In celebrating Women’s day, ActionSA Gauteng Women’s Forum commemorated the strength, resilience and leadership of South African women with a powerful gathering in Majazane, City of Joburg.
Under the theme “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child,” we issued a clear and urgent call: the safety of our children and the end of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) must become a shared, daily commitment; not just a ceremonial pledge.
Majazane, like many communities across Gauteng, bears the scars of systemic neglect. Families are raising children in environments where violence, poverty and limited access to services threaten their dignity and safety. This is not just a crisis of protection, it is a crisis of accountability.
We call on all sectors of society to live up to the African proverb that guided our commemoration: It takes a village to raise a child, effectively meaning:
Communities must become active protectors, not passive observers. Every neighbour, educator, faith leader and parent have a role to play in safeguarding children and supporting survivors of GBV
Healthcare facilities must be accessible, trauma-informed and adequately resourced to respond to the physical and emotional needs of survivors
Social workers must be visible, empowered and supported to intervene early, provide counselling and help families navigate complex challenges
Police services must be present, trusted and responsive not just in urban centres, but in every township and informal settlement
Government must urgently address the socioeconomic conditions that fuel violence and vulnerability. This includes unemployment, housing insecurity, lack of recreational spaces and underfunded public services.
We cannot speak of ending GBV without confronting the structural inequalities that allow it to persist. We cannot speak of child safety without ensuring that every child has access to food, shelter, education and emotional support.
The Gauteng Women’s Forum calls on national and provincial government to invest in community-based safety infrastructure, expand psychosocial support services and ensure that policies are not just written but implemented with urgency and compassion.
Let this Women’s Day be remembered not only for its speeches, but for the commitments it sparked. Let Majazane be a symbol of what is possible when a village rises to protect its own.
ActionSA Calls on Communities: It Takes a Village to Raise a Child
In celebrating Women’s day, ActionSA Gauteng Women’s Forum commemorated the strength, resilience and leadership of South African women with a powerful gathering in Majazane, City of Joburg.
Under the theme “It Takes a Village to Raise a Child,” we issued a clear and urgent call: the safety of our children and the end of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) must become a shared, daily commitment; not just a ceremonial pledge.
Majazane, like many communities across Gauteng, bears the scars of systemic neglect. Families are raising children in environments where violence, poverty and limited access to services threaten their dignity and safety. This is not just a crisis of protection, it is a crisis of accountability.
We call on all sectors of society to live up to the African proverb that guided our commemoration: It takes a village to raise a child, effectively meaning:
We cannot speak of ending GBV without confronting the structural inequalities that allow it to persist. We cannot speak of child safety without ensuring that every child has access to food, shelter, education and emotional support.
The Gauteng Women’s Forum calls on national and provincial government to invest in community-based safety infrastructure, expand psychosocial support services and ensure that policies are not just written but implemented with urgency and compassion.
Let this Women’s Day be remembered not only for its speeches, but for the commitments it sparked. Let Majazane be a symbol of what is possible when a village rises to protect its own.