Violence against women and children is on the rise in South Africa, with Statistics SA reporting that the number of women murdered between 2015 and 2016/17 increased by an alarming 117 percent. Furthermore, Statistics SA revealed that the number of women who experienced sexual harassment surged from 31,665 reported cases in 2015/16 to 70,813 in 2016/17 - an increase of 53 percent.

Having a deeper understanding of challenges that many women and children across the country face, the MTN SA Foundation and ZTE Corporation South Africa, a telecommunications infrastructure vendor, made a joint commitment to assist however possible.

In their drive to be a force for positive change, these two organizations partnered up to build a 20-seat multimedia centre at the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children in Athlone, Cape Town, which was unveiled on Dec. 12.

The contribution forms part of the annual commemoration of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign, which runs from Nov. 25 to Dec. 10.

ZTE built and furnished the multimedia centre, fully kitting it out with computers and a smart board. The MTN SA Foundation pledged to provide free internet connectivity for two years and to provide ICT training to the facilitators. Additionally, MTN employees handed over non-perishable food.

"Gender-based violence is a stain on our society. It is a crime that knows no geography, social standing or religion. At MTN, we have always supported initiatives that aim to lift women and children out of difficult and often devastating situations. We believe that the advancement of any society should be evaluated by the manner in which it treats its most vulnerable members," said Jacqui O’Sullivan, Executive for Corporate Affairs at MTN SA.

She continued, "We believe that access to information and ICT skills can open up a whole new world of opportunities and empower women and children to escape violence. We hope that this contribution will give survivors the tools and skills needed to advance in today’s digital world."

Nikky Cheng Dong, Operations Director of ZTE South Africa, agrees with O'Sullivan. “We at ZTE take gender-based violence very seriously, and we believe our partnership with MTN on this project will bring about a positive change needed in the lives of the women and children who are victims of such crimes. ZTE, being a leading global ICT company, believes that living in the information age, ICT is the foundation of our world today. By providing access and training, we feel that our contribution will give women and children in South Africa the confidence to move forward on their journey to empowerment, armed with knowledge and skills.”

Established in 1999, the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children is a one-stop centre for survivors of gender-based violence. It houses 120 women and children who benefit from the Residential Programme, which provides a safe place to stay for up to four months.

The centre also offers free legal advice, medical services, economic empowerment programmes, child care services, counseling and mental health support. Moreover, the institution conducts research on gender-based violence and provides job skills training.