16 Days of Activism: Girls and Boys Town South Africa advocates for safe homes

Every year, South Africa pauses for 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children to confront a painful truth: too many homes have become places of harm rather than healing.

As the world turns purple in solidarity against gender-based violence, Girls and Boys Town South Africa (GBTSA) highlights a powerful belief that every child deserves a home rooted in safety, love, dignity and possibility. It also believes that every family has the potential to grow, rebuild and heal.

For GBTSA the 16-days movement is not a seasonal campaign; it is their everyday mission through the voices of the young people they guide, the families they support and the communities they serve.

GBTSA works closely with children who have experienced neglect, trauma, conflict and instability. Yet, what remains remarkable is the organisation’s unwavering hope and the belief that with the right support, young people can bloom again and heal. Through hope, they rediscover trust, learn to regulate emotions, find their voice and build meaningful relationships and shine.

GBTSA’s work is grounded in creating environments where children can say, “I feel safe here. I am seen. I matter,” which is the heart of GBTSA’s therapeutic and residential programmes.

Strengthening Families, One Conversation at a Time

GBTSA acknowledges that when families heal, communities heal. Which is why they support families in communities and focus on rebuilding the fabric of home life:

• helping parents learn positive communication,
• supporting caregivers through counselling,
• guiding families through conflict resolution,
• and surrounding each child with a network of adults who care.

Sometimes healing begins with a single honest conversation, a parent saying, “I’m trying,” or a child whispering: “I am ready to trust again.” GBTSA walks with families through these moments, believing that growth begins with compassion.

Advocacy Rooted in Humanity

This year, for 16 Days of Activism, GBTSA is raising a simple but profound message: “Violence is not destiny. Healing is possible.” GBTSA’s advocacy is not just about statistics but it’s about stories:

• The teenager who found their voice again.
• The family that learned how to reconnect.
• The caregiver who discovered new ways to nurture.
• The community that rallied around its children.

These stories remind us that change does not happen in rallies or in hashtags alone. It happens in the small, brave steps families take every day.

Together, We Can Reimagine Home

GBTSA invites South Africans to join them not just in awareness, but in action, to check in on a child, support a struggling parent, challenge harmful behaviours. Because when children feel protected, they grow differently and when families are strengthened, communities transform. Through this, we all get a chance as a community to take responsibility and move closer to a South Africa where every child can say: “Home is my safe place.”