The Department of Social Development (DSD), in partnership with the Vodacom Foundation, have enhanced the Gender-Based Violence Command Centre's (GBVCC's) offerings by extending its services to people living with disabilities, in particular people with hearing impairment.
The GBVCC, which was established in March 2014, is a call centre dedicated to providing support and counselling to victims of gender-based violence. The enhancements unveiled by social development minister Bathabile Dlamini include: a Skype capability, a USSD system enhancement, an SMS conversation manager and geocoding system elements.
According to Vodacom, the Skype capability enables deaf people to make use of sign language when contacting the centre, the SMS conversations manager enables people to communicate with social workers via SMS and the geocoding system assists in tracking and monitoring caller location that helps with linking victims of gender-based violence to nearest places of safety.
The contact centre can be reached through Skype and the toll-free number on 0800 428 428 or victims can send a please call me to *120*7867#.
The new features were designed by Vodacom for deaf people to enable them to use the command centre with ease and confidence, said Takalani Netshitenzhe, the chief officer for corporate affairs at Vodacom Group.
"As we receive further needs and specifications from our partners and the department (DSD), we will assess and make more enhancements, to give power to those who are affected by gender-based violence."
Dlamini said the project is part of the department's effort to help SA achieve the 17 goals of sustainable development. "Gender-based violence amongst children and women with disabilities is prevalent because they are part of South African society, which has a huge problem with the scourge of violence against women and children.
"We want a future that is inclusive and well equipped for people with disabilities. This can be achieved by promoting the removal of all types of barriers - from the physical environment, information communication technologies to attitudinal barriers."
Research indicates that one in three women around the world experience violence in their lifetime, often in the hands of those that are close to them, said Dlamini. Therefore, SA must make sure that disabled people are provided with services that can help them have a voice, she added.
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