Tiekie Barnard
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.
Programme
Three days, moving from evidence to commitments.
8–10 December 2026 · @Sandton Hotel, Johannesburg
Confirmed speakers
Who is speaking
Speakers confirmed so far. More names will be added as they are confirmed.
Prof Corné Davis-Buitendag
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.
Dr Pali Lehohla
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.
Phaphedi Phukubje
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.
Joy Ruwodo
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.
Hanlie Lizette Wessels
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.
Theme
Positioning GBV as a Socio-Economic Imperative for Collective Action, Inclusive Growth and Sustainable Development
This is a draft programme and is subject to speaker confirmation and change. Names listed include confirmed and proposed speakers and organisations.
Day 1
Tuesday, 8 December 2026
@Sandton Hotel, Johannesburg
Setting the Scene & The Reality Check
Economic, policy and multilateral baselines. Programme Director to be confirmed.
08:00–09:00
Delegate registration & morning refreshments
- Format:
- Arrival & networking
09:00–09:30
Official opening & national contextualisation
Framing the 16 Days of Activism and the National Strategic Plan (NSP).
- Format:
- Plenary opening
- Who:
- Senior Government Representative; National Council on GBVF Leadership; United Nations; B20 Business Representative
09:30–10:30
The Reality Check: economic, spatial & fiscal baseline
Micro-spatial risk analytics and economic drag; the cost of GBV on corporate productivity and GDP; the local government 90-day audit and city response; B-BBEE alignment and the preferential procurement paper.
- Format:
- Keynote & research benchmark panel
- Who:
- Dr Pali Lehohla (The Lehohla Ledger); Prof. Corné Davis-Buitendag (UJ); Shared Value Africa / IFC (Kenya Study); City of Johannesburg Leadership; Empowerdex Technical Lead
10:30–11:00
Mid-morning refreshments & exhibition walkthrough
- Format:
- Networking break
- Who:
- Exhibitors & delegates; special guests and media
11:00–13:00
High-level plenary panels
Panel 1: United Nations & multilateral frameworks (UN Women, UN Global Compact, UNDP, UNHCR, UNICEF). Panel 2: International trade, B20 & BRICS alignment. Panel 3: Inter-ministerial government alignment. Panel 4: Private sector leadership (BUSA, BASA, Minerals Council, CEO Forum).
- Format:
- Plenary panel discussions (30 minutes per panel)
- Who:
- UN Resident Coordinator & UN agency leads; B20 / BRICS Trade / AU representatives; Inter-Ministerial Committee Ministers; C-suite executives (Absa, Anglo, Vodafone, JSE)
13:00–14:00
Executive lunch & networking
- Format:
- Exhibition lunch break
- Who:
- All delegates & sponsors
14:00–15:30
Workplace issues & preventive risk management
ILO Convention 190 (C190) and the role of organised labour; harassment, bullying and risk system audits; positive masculinity as a corporate prevention strategy.
- Format:
- Interactive panel discussions
- Who:
- UN Global Compact & trade union representatives; corporate HR & transformation directors; male allyship advocates
15:30–16:00
Toolkits & AI technology showcase
GBVF Response Fund toolkit introduction; AI-driven confidential reporting and risk analytics.
- Format:
- Plenary presentation & product demo
- Who:
- GBVF Response Fund Executive; AI tech innovation partners
16:00
Day 1 summary, reflections & wrap-up
Brief on Day 2.
- Format:
- Closing plenary
- Who:
- Convening team & session chairs
Day 2
Wednesday, 9 December 2026
@Sandton Hotel, Johannesburg
Concurrent Breakout Rooms & Deep-Dive Masterclasses
Four rooms run in parallel in the morning, followed by masterclasses and AI demos in the afternoon.
08:00–09:00
Arrival, coffee & networking
- Format:
- Registration
- Who:
- All delegates
09:00–13:00
Morning concurrent breakout streams (Rooms 1–4)
Detailed sessions per room are listed below, including a tea break at 10:30.
- Format:
- Breakout rooms
- Who:
- Room facilitators & delegates
13:00–14:00
Executive networking lunch
- Format:
- Lunch break
- Who:
- All delegates
14:00–16:00
Afternoon breakout masterclasses & AI demos (Rooms 1–4)
NPO donor alignment & grant masterclass; corporate AI reporting demos and risk audits.
- Format:
- Masterclass workshops
- Who:
- Masterclass facilitators
Day 3
Thursday, 10 December 2026
@Sandton Hotel, Johannesburg
Future-Proofing, Resolutions, National Pledges & Way Forward
A half day that turns three days of evidence and dialogue into resolutions and sectoral pledges.
08:00–09:00
Arrival & morning refreshments
- Format:
- Networking
- Who:
- All delegates
09:00–09:30
Welcome back & synthesis of Day 1 and 2 outcomes
- Format:
- Plenary opening
- Who:
- Convening team / session chairs / senior government representative
09:30–10:15
Panel: Shaping the Future for Zero GBV
Future-proofing organisational culture: unleashing youth leadership to mitigate social and GBV risks.
- Format:
- Youth & future leaders panel
- Who:
- NYDA Representative; YES Programme & Harambee leads; corporate young professionals
10:15–10:45
Consolidated breakout resolutions & action plan presentation
- Format:
- Plenary report-back
- Who:
- Rapporteurs & room facilitators
10:45–11:15
Mid-morning refreshments & media briefing setup
- Format:
- Networking break
- Who:
- Delegates & media
11:15–12:15
National stakeholder commitment pledges & photo ceremony
Formal signing and handover of sectoral pledges.
- Format:
- Ceremonial handover & media photo
- Who:
- Presidency / Cabinet Ministers; corporate C-suite & union leads
12:15–12:45
Closing keynote address & strategic announcements
Official launch of the 2027–2030 Action Framework. Preview: SONA Business Alignment Breakfast (February 2027, Cape Town).
- Format:
- Closing keynote & announcement
- Who:
- The Presidency / government dignitary; Jacki Mpondo-Hendricks (Convenor)
12:45–12:50
Entertainment
12:50–13:00
Vote of thanks & sponsor recognition
13:00–14:30
Farewell lunch & official departure
- Format:
- Networking lunch
- Who:
- All delegates
Contribute
Bring evidence to the table
Abstracts, corporate and intervention case studies, innovation submissions and speaker applications are all open.
Making the most of three days
What you will leave with.
Each day builds on the last, moving from understanding the cost of GBV to agreeing on measurable action.
Shared evidence base
A clearer picture of GBV's socio-economic impact on workplaces, communities and public finances.
Practical tools
Approaches that employers, government and NPOs can apply in their own organisations.
New partnerships
Direct contact with peers across sectors who are working on the same problems.
Clear commitments
Defined next steps and accountability for what happens after the Imbizo.
Step by step
Session formats
- 1
Keynotes & plenaries
Framing sessions that set out the evidence and the stakes.
- 2
Panels & dialogues
Cross-sector conversations on what works and what is blocking progress.
- 3
Workshops & masterclasses
Smaller, practical sessions focused on implementation.
Questions
Good to know
8–10 December 2026 · @Sandton Hotel, Johannesburg
Be in the room where action is agreed.
Held during the United Nations 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence