Philisa Abafazi Bethu Women Centre
What does your company do?
Philisa Abafazi Bethu Women Centre, situated in Steenberg in the Western Cape, and also have two Sister Programs in Grobblershoop, Wegdraai and Upington in the Northern Cape is a Human Rights Defender GBV First Responder organization, which provides early intervention and prevention Gender base Violence services and Child protection as a first responder organization, working with Babies via the Babe Saver, Children in the form of the After School program, Young person in the form of the Youth program, Men in the form of Emergency Safe house for heterosexual men who are Survivors of Gender base violence, Senior Citizen via a Seniors Social Club. The organization also provides Emergency 7 Days Safehouse for Children 0-15 who are Survivors of Sexual abuse and Neglect and also have a separate Emergency Safehouse for Women with their Children who are Survivors of Gender Base Violence. The organization has been very instrumental in speaking out and requesting services for Survivors of Gender Base Violence including men.
What is your biggest success?
My Greatest Achievement was Leading the 2019 March to Pretoria Saps National Commissioner office and the Secretariat of Police, for Better GBV services to improve in Police stations across South Africa Police services have now functional Gender Desk in most stations and also, they have improved services in their Victim friendly room for all genders including LGTBQIA, this has been my greatest Achievements.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
My biggest Hurdle is that I don't have the support to build an Emergency GBV Safehouse for Upington and also Grobblershoop and thus there are many Women and LGTBQIA survivors who are not being able to get the help. The nearest emergency Safehouse is in De Aar. There is also not enough support program for Transpersons and Queer young persons that also leads to depression and there have been suicides as result of this. This is my biggest Hurdle is how to get dire needed Emergency Shelters for all Genders in that part of the Northern Cape.
