ADDIS ABABA, ETHIOPIA –3 December 2025 - As the world marks the 16 Days of Activism, a self-funded, women-led South African delegation has arrived in Addis Ababa to present a groundbreaking blueprint reframing Gender-Based Violence (GBV) as an urgent economic and policy priority.
Tomorrow, 4 December 2025, at the African Union Commission Headquarters, the delegation will headline a high-level panel at the African Women in Media (AWiM25) Conference titled:
“From Victim to Victor: Transforming GBV Narratives into Economic Empowerment.”
This moment marks a significant milestone in South Africa’s leadership on GBV, coming less than two weeks after the historic Women’s Shutdown, which mobilised over a million people and contributed to GBVF being declared a National Disaster for the first time.
A SOUTH AFRICAN PROOF OF CONCEPT: 21 YEARS IN THE MAKING
Spearheaded by the award-winning, 21-year-old media agency JT Communication Solutions, the delegation showcases a working model that moves beyond awareness and activism. It demonstrates how strategic storytelling, safety technology, and financial inclusion form a scalable ecosystem capable of shifting national and continental GBV outcomes.
The integrated model being presented tomorrow includes:
• Safety & Innovation
Memeza Community Safety – South Africa’s pioneering social enterprise providing community-based GBV prevention technology and measurable impact.
• Financial Inclusion & Skills
FASSET (Finance & Accounting Services SETA) – bringing institutional capacity to link safety, skills development, and gender-responsive budgeting.
• Narrative Ownership & Economic Power
JT Comms, Social TV, and ECAfrica – advancing a continental media architecture that reframes women as agents of economic transformation, not passive victims.
We are not here to repeat the problem. We are here to present a South African-grown blueprint that operationalises the AU’s own commitments. When safety technology, narrative ownership, and financial inclusion converge, GBV prevention becomes an economic intervention—not charity.” Vanessa Perumal, Founder of JT Communication Solutions & Moderator
“Our data shows undeniable social return. When you invest in safety infrastructure, you do more than save lives—you unlock economic participation. This is the proof of concept we are placing before the AU.” Dr. Thuli Mthethwa, Founder of Memeza Community Safety (NPO)
ALIGNED TO CONTINENTAL POLICY – READY TO SCALE
This panel directly supports the implementation of:
Both frameworks require measurable, replicable models. The South African delegation is presenting one of the few evidence-based prototypes ready for adoption across member states.
A CALL FOR COLLABORATIVE ACTION
The delegation will use the AU platform to call for partnerships toward establishing the Africa Economic Power Lab for Women — a multi-country initiative designed to scale safety technology, strengthen financial ecosystems, and amplify African women’s voices through media and storytelling.
This is not an endpoint. It is the beginning of a continental shift.
Media Contact: JT Communication Solutions, media@jtcomms.co.za, +27 83 954 6133 or (011)&88 7632
EDITOR’S NOTE
The panel takes place TOMORROW, Thursday 4 December, at 15:15 (GMT+3) at the African Union Commission in Addis Ababa.
Spokespersons are on-site and available for immediate comment or embargoed interviews.
