Catholic Bishops in Southern Africa Call for Family Centred Approach in Addressing Gender-Based Violence

“We have responded with more laws, more structures, and more budget allocations,” the Bishops said, citing the year 2000, where South Africa “developed a National Strategic Plan, a nationwide comprehensive programme to respond to gender-based violence and femicide.”

The SACBC members expressed concern that violence against women and children continues even after similar measures have been implemented in the other member countries of the Southern African Development Community (SADC).

“Something deeper, something spiritual, moral, and human, is being left unattended,” the Bishops said.

They emphasized that more needs to be done beyond the “many conferences, slogans, campaigns, and policy documents” that have characterized the 34 years of the 16 days of activism against GBV.

“These strong voices are necessary. They matter. But they have not been enough,” the SACBC members noted in their December 3 statement that was titled, “A Call to a Family-Centred Response to the Violence Against Women and Children.”

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The Catholic Church leaders advocated for a shift from the current interventions to a new approach, saying, “Catholic Social Teaching reminds us that when societies are wounded, we must go to the roots of the wound.”

“Violence against women and children is born in the human heart, and it grows in broken families. It begins where love should dwell. In our hearts and in our own homes,” they said. 

They called for the integration of “family renewal” in the SADC Protocol on Gender and Development as an “essential strategy for ending violence,” and the inclusion of the “strengthening of the family” in South Africa, Botswana and Eswatini “as a core pillar in national legislation and national strategic plans.”

The Bishops in Southern Africa viewed the ongoing 16 days of activism to end GBV, which is set to conclude on December 10, as a moment for the Church “to look inward”.

They highlighted concerns including pastoral gaps in support for families, the contribution of sodalities in confronting family violence, the role of Pastoral Councils and their accountability, and lack of adequate initiatives to help the young people who “face violence, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and harmful peer pressure”

“Why do many dioceses and parishes not have ongoing ministries dedicated to strengthening marriages and families? Why is the pastoral care of families not at the heart of parish life? In all our dioceses, we have strong and vibrant sodalities. But are these groups doing enough to address the problem of family violence?” the Catholic Church leaders queried.

They clarified that they raise the questions not as “accusations”  but as an invitation, “a pastoral call to renewal.”

“During this year’s Sixteen Days, may every Parish ask: What actions should we take as a parish to promote the deeper spiritual and moral renewal needed to heal family violence? How is the Lord sending us as one of the 72 disciples to bring peace, reconciliation, and healing to the families in our parish?” they said.

Nicholas Waigwa is a Kenyan multimedia journalist and broadcast technician with a professional background in creating engaging news stories and broadcasting content across multiple media platforms. He is passionate about the media apostolate and Catholic Church communication.