Men’s Perspectives on Gender-Based Violence and the Economic Empowerment Imbalances between Men and Women in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Abstract

South Africa continues to grapple with one of the world's highest rates of gender-based violence (GBV). The #TotalShutdown marches marked a pivotal moment as women rallied against GBV, echoing the resounding call of "enough is enough" nationwide, and emphasising the urgency for collective action and robust leadership. In response to this call, and with KwaZulu-Natal being the leading province in the country in relation to GBV and other reported sexual offences, the provincial government under the Department of Social Development (DSD) held a men’s colloquium in 2021 to listen to the voices of the men, who are often regarded as “perpetrators” of GBV, through a dialogue session.  The DSD held these dialogues in all 11 districts of Kwa-Zulu Natal, with the aim of affording men in the province an opportunity to speak about their perspectives on what they considered as causes of GBV in the province. A total of 548 men from the 11 districts attended the dialogue session. Data from the dialogue was extracted for this paper. The paper adopts an exploratory qualitative approach, utilising data collected from the dialogues to delve into men's perceptions regarding the root causes of GBV in KwaZulu-Natal. The paper examines whether a correlation exists between government gender-specific economic empowerment initiatives and male resentment or anger towards women in the region. The study reveals that the exclusion of men in the execution of women empowerment programmes in the province, leaves men feeling disenfranchised, demonised and demoralised. While the findings are confined to the KwaZulu-Natal province and thus not generalisable, they offer valuable insights that can guide efforts to enhance the inclusivity of gender-related programmes, ultimately aiding in the ongoing battle against GBV.