Editor's choice Local news Newcastle Advertiser

Child Welfare marks 16 Days of Activism

Child Welfare SA Newcastle marks 16 Days of Activism, uniting communities to raise awareness and support victims of gender-based violence.

December 20, 2025

Anika Sanders 1 minute read

A collage of people in front of a yellowish wall. There is a banner of Child Welfare SA Newcastle in the center of the collage. The people in the collage are talking. — Child Welfare SA Newcastle marks 16 Days of Activism, uniting communities to raise awareness and support victims of gender-based violence. Photo: Newcastle Advertiser / Anika Sanders

Dressed in purple and united in purpose, Child Welfare SA Newcastle marked the 16 Days of Activism campaign on Tuesday, December 9.

Running from November 25 to December 10, this year’s campaign carries the theme: Letsema – Men, Women, Boys and Girls Working Together to End Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).

Farieda Mia, supervisor and head social worker at Child Welfare, opened the programme by introducing the keynote speakers and outlining the origins of the campaign.

She explained that the 16 Days of Activism began in 1998, aligning with two significant international observances: November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and December 10, Human Rights Day.

Organisations involved in assisting victims of GBVF educated residents on what help is available.

SAPS and Darwe SAPS, Department of Social Development (DSD), Newcastle Community Policing Forum (CPF), Legal Aid, Department of Justice (DOJ), and the Crises Centre at the Hospital are victims’ first port of call.

Once the authorities and first responders are involved, organisations such as Child Welfare, DSD, Men Against Men Abuse (MAMA), SANCA, and Focus on the Family assist in psycho-social support.

Mary Dobbie, director of the Newcastle Crises Centre, explained that “a place of safety is not the same as a shelter; therefore, we don’t take homeless people.” Among the places of safety for victims of GBVF are the Crisis Centre, St. Martins, Nil Desperandum, and La Gratitude.

Survivors from the community testified to their fight against violence and abuse, adding how the help available secured their freedom and change at a new beginning.

Natasha Rhamdhari, a psycho-therapist affiliated with Child Welfare, thanked the committee as well as the following sponsors:

Ahmed Moola,
Zuber Moola,
Imraan Moola,
Aslam Akoo, and
Joseph van der Linde.

An elderly lady standing in front of a white banner with blue and purple writing on it. She is wearing black. Her hands are in front of her body. It is day-time. THere is a brick wall in the background. — Crises Centre director, Mary Dobbie.
Photo: Newcastle Advertiser / Anika Sanders

A female in a South African Police Service uniform. She is standing outside, with her hands folded in front of her chest. There is a brick wall and a white banner in the background. It is day-time. — Juanita Bezuidenhout from SAPS/Court.
Photo: Newcastle Advertiser / Anika Sanders

The news provided to you in this link has been investigated and compiled by the editorial staff of the Newcastle Advertiser, a sold newspaper distributed in the Newcastle area. Please follow us on Youtube and feel free to like, comment, and subscribe. For more local news, visit our webpage, follow us on Facebook and Twitter, and follow us on our WhatsApp Channel