The Minerals Council South Africa today marked the start of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days Campaign) by remembering the 21,083 South Africans, and especially the 197 mineworkers who have succumbed to COVID-19, and the women in our country who have died at the hands of gender-based violence. We mourn their death and grieve with their loved ones.

We support President Ramaphosa’s call to the nation to declare gender-based violence as the second pandemic we are currently facing in South Africa, and reiterate the Minerals Council’s commitment to creating awareness of gender-based violence, and to supporting the women in our industry at work and at home so that they may not live in fear. And, while we remember and recommit to playing our part in eradicating the scourge of gender-based violence during this time, this is something we believe must be top-of-mind every day.

Through our Stop Abuse of Women campaign, which forms part of our Women in Mining Strategy, the Minerals Council is working closely with our members to ensure that we have the right processes and mechanisms in place to identify and deal with the abuse of women, that we continue to train and educate men and women on what abuse means, and to ensure that there are support systems in place for women in mining and mining communities to seek help. For more information about our Stop Abuse of Women initiative, see our Stop Abuse of Women page.

Videos

Resources:

• Media release: Minerals Council marks the start of the 16 days of activism campaign, 25 November 2020