The Eastern Cape (EC) Men’s Movement heeded the call by the National Legislature to establish a Men’s Forum to tackle Gender Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF) and other social-ills. The Intergenerational Men’s Dialogue was launched on the 27 May 2021 and hosted by the Eastern Cape House of Traditional Leaders (EC-HoTL), with the theme “Men Stride towards Healing the Nation”.

In his opening remarks, the EC Acting Chairperson of the House of Traditional Leaders, Chief Langa Mavuso, emphasized that the EC-HOTL is geared towards building developmental monarchies that are at the center of supporting rural communities and therefore need to be capacitated on dealing with issues of GBVF and other social ills.  Chief Mavuso hailed the successful partnership with the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), particularly through the programme support to capacitate men and boys on Positive Masculinities.

Giving a message of support, the MEC for Social Development Hon. Ms. Siphokazi Mani-Lusithi, stated that Men’s platforms should discuss and reflect on the existence of patriarchy, male dominance and privilege as well as the abuse of culture for power relations.

Ms. Viwe Dunjwa, Programnme Officer in the UNFPA Eastern Cape office, provided a message of support, encouraging men to have conversations and to engage one another. She further highlighted some of  UNFPA’s  priority activities implemented in the EC province, in line with the fifth UNFPA Country programme. One of these key interventions include the development of a  Lifeskills Manual (SRHR, HIV, GBVF, Substance abuse etc.) to enhance knowledge and skills of young men that go through traditional male circumcision and promote positive construction of masculinity. UNFPA considers men as key allies to finding solutions to addressing GBVF.