GBV Socio-Economic Imbizo 2026
A three-day, cross-sector gathering to understand GBV’s economic impact and turn evidence into measurable action.
Early Bird discount until 14 November. Registration closes 5 December 2026. Space is limited.
Countdown to opening
Within the UN 16 Days of Activism
Explore ways to take partWho attends
Government · Business · Labour · Research · Civil Society · Development Partners
Organisations represented across the initiative
Meet our partners
Participation
Choose how you would like to take part: attend, share your work, exhibit or partner with us.
Register as a delegate for the full three days of the Imbizo.
Register as a delegateSubmit research, an abstract, a case study or a speaker application.
Explore submission typesSponsor the Imbizo or join as a strategic partner across the initiative.
Partner with usShowcase services, products, programmes, research or innovation.
Apply to exhibitThe cost of inaction
These estimates and project references provide context for the measurement work ahead. Published sources are linked where verified; the remaining references are still being reviewed, and none are formal findings.
Estimated
US$1.5tn
Estimated annual global cost of violence against women.
Estimated
1.2–3.7%
World Bank estimates that lost productivity from intimate partner violence costs between 1.2% and 3.7% of GDP in some countries; this is not an Africa-wide estimate.
Historic estimates
R28.4–42.4bn
KPMG estimated a minimum annual cost for 2012/13, noting substantial data gaps and the need for further research.
Project research references
30–50%
ILO global survey
~50%
ILO global survey
22.8%
Project research references
R1.65bn
Project research references
R1.6bn
Wording is deliberate. Where a figure is an estimate, it is described as one. The proposed GBV Socio-Economic Impact Index exists to replace estimates with measurement.
Why this Imbizo matters
Gender-based violence does not stop at the individual. Its effects travel outward through households, employers, communities, public services and national accounts.
Health, safety, income, confidence and the ability to participate in work and study.
Absenteeism, presenteeism, staff turnover, wellness costs and lost productivity.
Performance, culture, compliance obligations, reputational risk and ESG reporting.
Stability, local enterprise, school attendance and social cohesion.
Policing, courts, health facilities, social development and support services.
GDP, women's economic participation, human capital and government expenditure.
The initiative
The Imbizo is the flagship moment. The initiative continues before and after the three days in December.
A major cross-sector convening of government, business, labour, research, civil society and development partners.
Recognition of organisations and individuals demonstrating measurable, sustainable impact in addressing GBV.
A platform to showcase interventions, programmes, products, technology, services, research and workplace tools.
The initiative intends to establish a recurring GBV Socio-Economic Impact Index for South Africa.
A planned technology layer for enquiry support, resource navigation and aggregated insight.
The Imbizo culminates in practical commitments feeding a longer-term action programme.
Award categories, index methodology, AI capabilities and Road to 2027 engagements are proposed or in development. Nothing on this page should be read as confirmed until it is formally approved and published as such.
Programme
Day 1 · Tuesday, 8 December 2026
Economic, policy and multilateral baselines. Programme Director to be confirmed.
Day 2 · Wednesday, 9 December 2026
Four rooms run in parallel in the morning, followed by masterclasses and AI demos in the afternoon.
Day 3 · Thursday, 10 December 2026
A half day that turns three days of evidence and dialogue into resolutions and sectoral pledges.
Draft programme, subject to speaker confirmation and change.
Confirmed speakers
Founder & CEO
Shared Value Africa & Shift Impact Africa
Started the #ITSNOTOK movement and, in 2024, the Shared Value Africa Gender Equality Unit, which mobilises business to prevent gender-based violence and harassment.
Associate Professor, Department of Strategic Communication
University of Johannesburg
Researches the systemic, social and institutional dimensions of GBV and serves on Pillar 6 of the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
Former Statistician-General of South Africa
Founder, The Lehohla Ledger
Led Statistics South Africa from 2000 to 2017 and chaired the United Nations Statistical Commission. His Lehohla Ledger tests policy delivery against decades of census and spatial data.
Chief Economist
City of Johannesburg, Department of Economic Development
Directs the City of Johannesburg's economic research, data analytics and policy modelling, with more than two decades across government, development finance and consulting.
Head, Gender Equality Unit
Shared Value Africa
Mobilised the GBVF Response Fund Private Sector Coalition, which brings companies together on workplace accountability for gender-based violence and harassment.
Founder & CEO
Resilient Workplace Institute & Impact Business Development
Her CLARITY tool, built on the Harassment Risk Index, is used by more than 40 organisations in three countries to make workplace harassment measurable.
Research & Index
The initiative intends to establish a recurring GBV Socio-Economic Impact Index: a consistent method for quantifying economic and workplace impact in South Africa, sector by sector, year on year.
In support of shared frameworks
“GBVF is everyone’s issue.”
Alignment provides context. It does not imply endorsement by any institution listed.
The Imbizo takes place within the annual global campaign period.
NSP on GBVFNational framework for accountability, prevention, justice, support and economic power.
NDP 2030South Africa’s long-term framework for inclusive development.
Agenda 2063The African Union’s framework for inclusive growth and human development.
ILO C190The international labour standard on violence and harassment in the world of work.
Response FundA South African response platform mobilising private-sector and civil-society action.
GBV Impact Awards
The GBV Impact Awards recognise organisations and individuals whose work can be evidenced: outcomes reported, beneficiaries reached, policies implemented and change sustained.
Award categories are indicative and not yet final. No recipients, finalists or honorary recognitions are confirmed.
Road to 2027
The Imbizo is a step in a longer sequence. Each stage has an owner, an output and something that can be measured.
Establish the evidence base and the socio-economic index method.
Convene government, business, labour, research and civil society.
Capture a Stakeholder Commitment Pledge with named owners.
Track progress against agreed benchmarks and reporting cycles.
Publish a proposed 2027–2030 Action Framework.
Continued engagement, including proposed Road to SONA 2027 dialogue.
The proposed Road to SONA 2027 engagement is not an official Presidency event.
Take part
Attend, sponsor, exhibit, contribute evidence or nominate measurable impact. Every option sits in one participation hub.
