Cheryl L. Anderson addresses Sisters with Blisters members and participants at the walk against gender violence

USAID/Southern Africa DOC

Gender Based Violence and Legal Rights

USAID and the South African Government are working to address women’s rights, access to justice and gender and harmful cultural norms.

The USAID-funded Thuthuzela Care Centre network provides support for rape and sexual assault survivors across South Africa to ensure that they do not experience secondary trauma while seeking justice, counseling and medical treatment - turning victims into survivors.

• Fifty six centers had been established by late 2014 in public hospital facilities. Four of these centers are currently being staffed.
• The centers provide a range of services from emergency medical care, post-exposure prophylaxis, counseling and court preparation.

USAID supports a public awareness campaign to inform the public about the services provided by the centers and how to access them; provides grants to NGOs for after-hours care, and HIV-related services; supports sexual offences courts.

USAID also supports communities taking ownership of creating healthy, wholesome, violence free communities. Community leaders, traditional healers, faith based organisations and other community lead agents are encouraged to support their constituencies to prevent HIV acquisition and gender-based violence; which is often a result of gender inequality. We support partners that share training programs and toolkits to foster communities ownership of an AIDS-free generation.