Johannesburg (South Africa) – Gender Based Violence is rife in South Africa. Worldwide, 27% of women and girls aged 15 and older have experienced either physical or sexual Intimate Partner Violence, but in South Africa the figure is a staggering one-third or even up to 50%.[1]
Fasken is committed to the eradication of Gender Based Violence (GBV) so that we can build a better tomorrow for the generations to come. This commitment was recently celebrated during the ProBono.Org 2022 Annual Awards Ceremony where Fasken’s pro bono legal work for survivors of GBV was recognised. In 2022, Fasken rendered 1315 hours of pro bono legal services to survivors of GBV alone.
At Fasken we believe that as lawyers we have a professional duty to render pro bono services to those most in need; and to advocate against GBV. Poverty remains a barrier to most survivors of abuse to access our justice system. Without the provision of pro bono legal representation many survivors of abuse would not be able to access our courts.
To help drive this commitment, we host regular pro bono legal helpdesks for survivors of GBV. Through our partnership with the NISAA Institute for Women’s Development we provide a holistic service to GBV survivors who receive psycho-social support in conjunction with legal support.
At the NISAA legal helpdesk, Fasken’s legal practitioners: consult with potential clients, gather the relevant information regarding the case and draft the relevant court documents; and attend all court hearings and present oral and written arguments.
Fasken lawyers conduct legal training and education; and they participate in law reform and advocacy. Fasken lawyers train social workers and communities on various legal topics affecting communities such as Customary Law, Maintenance, Domestic Violence, Sexual Offences, and Children’s Rights.
Pictured: ProBono.Org’s Swazi Malinga and Fasken Candidate Attorney Lungelo Mkhize
Learn more about Fasken’s Pro Bono Practice – Leave a Legacy Fasken
About ProBono.Org’s Annual Awards
The Annual ProBono.Org Awards honour legal practitioners and others for their consistent diligence and outstanding contribution to pro bono work in 2022.
About Fasken
Fasken is a leading international law firm with more than 800 lawyers and 10 offices on four continents. Clients rely on us for practical and innovative legal services. We provide results-driven strategies to solve the most complex business and litigation challenges. For additional information, please visit the Firm’s website at fasken.com
[1] Brits, Elsabé. “South Africa’s staggering intimate partner violence stats aren’t shifting – here’s what we can do about it.” Daily Maverick. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2022-06-14-intimate-partner-violence-in-s-africa-the-staggering-stats-and-the-solutions
