Conference to highlight the importance of stronger collaboration between government, business and civil society to accelerate South Africa’s response to gender-based violence and femicide
Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is a national crisis in South Africa. One in three women has experienced physical violence in her lifetime, while nearly one in ten has experienced sexual violence.
Beyond its devastating human impact, GBVF costs South Africa up to R42.4 billion every year, through healthcare costs, criminal justice interventions, lost productivity, absenteeism and reduced economic participation.
The 2026 GBVF Business Conference will take place on Wednesday, 5 August, at the Gordon Institute of Business Science in Illovo, Johannesburg. Bringing together senior government leaders, business executives, governance experts, civil society organisations and thought leaders, the conference will explore how the private sector can play a more active role in preventing and responding to gender-based violence and femicide.
Delivering the opening keynote address at the conference will be Sindiswa Chikunga, Minister for Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities, who will outline government’s priorities in tackling gender-based violence and femicide.
The conference is being sponsored by Vodacom, in partnership with Hlanganisa Community Fund for Social & Gender Justice.
Andisa Ntsubane, Managing Executive: Brand, Marketing and Communications and Vodacom SA Foundation Advisory Board Director, will explore the roles of government, business, civil society, communities and individuals in driving collaboration, shared accountability and sustainable action to create safer, more inclusive environments for all.
Bongiwe Ndondo, Chief Executive Officer of the Hlanganisa, will also be among the speakers at this year’s conference and will explore the critical role of prevention and community-led interventions in addressing GBVF, as well as the need to strengthen access to justice for survivors. According to Hlanganisa, many women continue to face significant obstacles when seeking justice, including limited awareness of their legal rights, fear of secondary victimisation, stigma and shame, distrust of the criminal justice system, and the complexity of navigating court processes.
Joining the line-up of distinguished speakers will be Faith Khanyile, Chairperson of the GBVF Response Fund, who will examine how companies should respond when employees experience abuse, with a focus on employers’ legal obligations, duty of care and effective HR protocols. The GBVF Response Fund, which is managed by Tshikululu Social Investments, is a private-sector–led fund coordinating financial resources to support GBVF programmes and campaigns that raise awareness, catalyse mass action, and drive behavioural change.
Among the speakers will be Virginia Francis from Tshikululu Social Investments, who will explore how pooled corporate funding and coordinated partnerships can move GBVF initiatives from isolated projects to nationally scalable programmes.
Additional speakers and panel discussions will feature senior executives from conference sponsors AVBOB, Nedbank and Trans African Concessions, alongside representatives from the JSE, SAPS, the NPA and other leading organisations involved in addressing gender-based violence.
Gender-based violence and femicide is not a crisis that government or civil society can solve on their own. This is an epidemic that affects our families, workplaces and communities, and a collective response is needed. The 2026 GBVF Business Conference is a call for business leaders, HR professionals, policymakers and stakeholders to come together, share practical solutions and commit to meaningful action.
For more information, or to register to attend, please email [email protected].
