To intensify cooperation with South Africa on interpersonal violence, Canada high commissioner Chris Cooter, Germany deputy ambassador Dr Rüdiger Lotz and South Africa Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs director-general Avril Williamson participated in the launch of a new partnership, the Inclusive Violence and Crime Prevention (VCP) programme, on March 3, at the Pretoria National Botanical Gardens. The high prevalence of interpersonal violence in South Africa, including gender-based violence (GBV), is not only a major barrier to human rights and gender equality, but also poses a threat to stability and social cohesion, and limits South Africa’s progress in overcoming poverty, unemployment and inequality.
