On Sunday, 26 November, SERI supported a workshop led by Abahlali baseMjondolo’s Women’s League. The workshop marked the start of 16 days of activism against gender-based violence (GBV) and was attended by approximately 26 women from the around Johannesburg area.
The motivation behind the workshop stemmed from the reality that despite the provisions of South Africa's Constitution, many people still face the threat of tenure security and unlawful evictions which exacerbates the vulnerability of women living in contexts lacking secure tenure. In terms of the scourge of gender-based violence, SERI's focus for the 16 Days of Activism has been to engage with women particularly on the issue of GBV with a focus on the workplace, in light of SERI's work on domestic work. Many women find themselves vulnerable to sexual harassment and other forms of GBV both in the workplace and in the home.
In the workshop, SERI facilitated a session entitled, “How can you defend your land using the Constitution of South Africa”. Another session in the workshop was held on sexual harassment and gender-based violence both generally and in the workplace which was followed by a discussion among the workshop participants. This workshop took place as part of SERI's Women’s Spaces Project.