NOCN Group Managing Director to support Halo Project South Africa
22nd January 2020 Date of publication
NOCN Group Managing Director Graham Hasting-Evans is to become a Director of the Halo Project South Africa to support the global campaign to raise awareness and challenge gender-based violence in the country.
The Halo Project is partnering with the public, private and social sectors to address the pandemic of violence against women in the country and launched a sister charity Halo Project South Africa in Johannesburg on 25 November 2019. Government Advisor, Founder and leader of The Halo Project, Yasmin Khan MSc, has worked in the field of gender equality and diversity for over twenty years. She as a progressive thought leader in the fight for women’s justice.
Yasmin explains “Violence against women in South Africa has reached a level of national crisis, and we are working with the public, private and social sectors to help set up these deeply trusted avenues of protection and support. We see our invitation from the South African Government as a positive step and one which we truly welcome.”
According to the South African Police Service’s annual report for 2018-2019, 52,420 sexual offences were reported, up by 2,312 on the previous year. Sexual offences include rape, sexual assault, attempted sexual offences and contact sexual offences.
South Africa has one of the highest incidences of domestic violence in the world and it is the most common and widespread human rights abuse in South Africa. Statistics on domestic violence in South Africa are almost impossible to find because it is not a crime category on its own.
The Institute for Security Studies says that our high level of domestic crime in South Africa is rooted in our violent past and has been perpetuated across generations. Violent behaviour is learned or tolerated in the home, communities and schools where children either directly experience or witness violence. Many people grow up believing that violence is a normal way to resolve disputes or assert authority. This drives much of the violence that occurs against women and continues to be an underlying force driving inequality in South Africa.
Since its launch in 2011, The Halo Project has provided support and advice to tens of thousands of individuals and organisations and helped over 1,600 individual victims in and around the North East of England flee from violent, life-threatening situations. In 2019 Halo began consulting with the Welsh Government and are starting to make significant strides in the prevention of violence against women in Wales.
The collaboration between the Halo Project UK and South Africa’s public, private and social sectors was kicked off during the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence, a global campaign to raise awareness and challenge violence against women and girls.
Graham Hasting-Evans will be will be visiting South Africa in March to launch the programme in Khayelitsha to coincide with Human Rights Day in South Africa (21 March) along with Yasmin Khan (Founder of Halo), Claire Preston (International Director) and Fabienne Bailey (Managing Director, One Awards, who endorse the Halo Hope programme ) Yasmin Khan Explained “We want the Halo Project South Africa to become the flagship of the Halo Global model and to expand our presence to Cape Town on this auspicious day will send a very strong message of collaboration and hope”.
Graham Hasting-Evans said “I am delighted to become a Director at Halo Project South Africa to support them in their global campaign to raise awareness of gender-based violence and provide endorsed community education programmes to empower women and young girls.”
The Halo Project, South Africa project will change lives and provide recover tools through community education programmes. Delivery by women, for women providing a platform for change influenced by victims and survivors of cultural harms.
Halo Hope - 6-week community education pilot, an innovation tool to empower women who are at risk or already victims of GBV, with an integrated team made up of the local police, healthcare, education and social sector.
Halo Voice - developed to encourage and support women to improve their language and literacy skills and give them the confidence that they need to access education and improve employability and independence.
Halo Ambassadors - Women who complete the programme are given the opportunity to become Halo Ambassadors, returning to their communities to change the language and eliminate violence against women and girls.
For more information on Halo Project South Africa please visit their website:
