RECOGNISING that South Africa continues to wrestle with the impact of decades of institutionalised racism, sexism, exclusion, structural violence and other factors that have continued to undermine human development and positive social cohesion;

RECOGNISING further that gender-based violence and femicide is a serious social evil and that victims of gender-based violence and femicide are among the most vulnerable members of society; that gender-based violence takes on many forms;

HAVING REGARD to the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996 and in particular, the right to equality and to freedom and security of the person; and the international commitments and obligations of the State towards ending gender-based violence and femicide;

CONVINCED THAT gender-based violence and femicide will be eliminated only when a multi-sectoral, co-ordinated government and whole of society approach is implemented in fighting the scourge; and

THEREFORE it is necessary to harness the roles, responsibilities, resources and commitments across government, labour, civil society, movements, youth structures, faith-based structures, traditional structures, the media, development agencies, the private sector, academic institutions and all other stakeholders,

BE IT THEREFORE ENACTED by the Parliament of the Republic of South Africa, as follows:—