We, a group of concerned values based and faith inspired mobilizers, scholars,
activists, survivors and servant leaders of South Africa’s diverse faith communities have held
a number of consultative processes during 2023 to learn from one another.
We considered responding more courageously, effectively and with greater unity to gender-based
violence and femicide (GBVF)[1] in our country.
The Statement below is shared in the hope that many other faith leaders might endorse it and that it may form
the basis for an ongoing campaign to open conversations that lead to powerful joint faith-rooted action for
a better South Africa and world.
We recognise that this is a first declaration of intent, and that while we share much common ground, our local
and contextually-appropriate interpretations of the details of this document may differ, This is a work
in progress, a transformative journey for all of us...
We invite all faith leaders to join with us to declare the following, to sign the statement and to use it to guide
concrete actions in all faith communities to make every neighbourhood and every home a safe place for
all. We join together inspired by our faith to pray, to speak, and mobilise people to action.
At the same time, we recognise that we have a personal and collective responsibility to BE safe spaces and
be role models of the kind of values, social norms and practices needed to create the kind of society we are striving towards.
People involved include scholars, activists and leaders from the following faith traditions (in alphabetical order: Baha’i;
Brahma Kumaris, Christian (3 traditions, led by SACBC, SACC and TEASA), Hindu, Muslim, Traditional Healers
(including those from African Traditional Religions, under Ikhwelo), and to a limited extent, Jewish.
“We need more than prayer.... stand with us when we need you. That way we
will know that God is alive. God is not only in teaching, worshiping and singing,
but God is in our lives.”