As lockdown and social distancing measures have been introduced around the world, a global surge in gender-based violence cases has been reported, including in the countries in which we operate. This has been compounded by some support services being closed, and those that remain open being under increasing demand.
To help provide critical support services, we are donating $200,000 to assist women’s shelters and support organisations.
The $200,000 donation will be split equally between our partner countries of Botswana, Canada, Namibia and South Africa. In southern Africa we will work with UN Women to ensure support is accessible to those who need it, from escaping abuse through to recovery, in the form of transportation, accommodation, basic supplies and counselling. In Canada, the funding will support four shelters in communities surrounding our Gahcho Kué and Victor operations.
Bruce Cleaver, CEO, De Beers Group and UN Women HeForShe Thematic Champion, said, “De Beers Group has a longstanding commitment to support women and girls in the communities where we operate, and right now many need this support more than ever. The funding we are providing will assist women’s support organisations to continue delivering critical services to survivors of gender-based violence, including within our own workforce, now, over the next few weeks and after we get through this pandemic.”
Anne Shongwe, UN Women Representative, South Africa Multi-Country Office, said: “As economic and social pressures and fear have grown over recent weeks, we have seen a significant and deeply concerning surge in domestic violence throughout the world, what UN Women has termed the ‘Shadow Pandemic’, that is already being felt in southern Africa, with calls of distress from women more than doubling. Current restrictions on movement – locking women in with their violent intimate partners – is exacerbating the situation, so we must ensure women can continue to access essential support services safely as we work to beat COVID-19.”
The donation is in addition to our wider contributions of over $5 million already announced in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.