Cape Town, SOUTH AFRICA: On Tuesday 22^nd October 2024, the SVRI Forum 2024 will open its doors to over 1500 delegates from all over the world. Dr Claudia García-Moreno, SVRI Co-Founder and Forum Chair will welcomeresearchers, practitioners, activists, survivors, policymakers, and donors who will unite for the world’s leading research conference on violence against women, violence against children and other forms of violence driven by gender inequality in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs). The SVRI Forum 2024 will provide an unrivalled space for learning about the latest research from the field, showcasing the evidence, methods, tools, and innovations in research and sharing this with multiple stakeholders to improve the lives of women and children.

Dr Claudia García-Moreno, SVRI Co-Founder and Forum Chair says, “I am very much looking forward to welcoming everyone to one more Forum, a space that combines good science and innovation with a supportive and kind environment where everyone can share and feel safe. A space for learning and connecting with old friends and meeting new ones, where new and old collaborations can flourish and where together we use research and advocacy to move the field forward so as to improve the lives and health of women and children in all their diversity, and other people experiencing discrimination and abuse.”  

After Claudia’s opening remarks, Cape Town born actress Kim Blanché Adonis will perform a short sketch, using satire, comedy, poetry, song and drama to explore the theme of GBV. Dr Emma Fulu, founder and co—CEO of The Equality Institute, a global feminist agency working to advance gender equality, and longtime researcher and activist, will then moderate the opening plenary panel on the pressing issues of our time – technology and AI, backlash, forced migration, war and conflict, the rise of authoritarianism, gender diversity and more. 

Emma will be joined on stage by an esteemed panel of global experts and activists including: Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, the Director of Survivor Leadership and Influencing at Freedom from Torture who in 2019 became a survivor champion for the UK government’s Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict Initiative; Tarana Burke, renowned activist and founder of the ‘me too.’ Movement, a global movement dedicated to ending sexual violence. Tarana is committed to interrupting systemic issues that disproportionately impact marginalised communities, particularly Black women and girls; and feminist and activist Jac sm Kee, co-founder and co-cartographer at Numun Fund, who works at the intersection of internet technologies, social justice and collective power. 

Elizabeth Dartnall, SVRI’s Executive Director, expresses that, “We are proud and grateful to welcome such powerful and urgent voices to open our 8^th SVRI Forum. We know from our research and evidence that if we address violence against women, violence against children and other forms of violence driven by gender inequality in low- and middle-income countries, it will have multiple benefits and improve the lives of not only women and girls but also men and boys, gender-diverse people, and society as a whole. We are thrilled to have some of the world’s leading researchers, activists, survivors and thought leaders with us to unpack the moment we’re in over the course of the Forum.”

Tarana Burke, me too. founder, says, “We are proud to bring our work to the international stage through the me too. global network, amplifying the voices of survivors across the world. Sexual violence is a pervasive issue in many cultures, particularly in the Global South, where communities face distinct challenges. Presenting at the Sexual Violence Research Initiative (SVRI) is a powerful opportunity to uplift and support these communities while advancing the movement. Together, we are strengthening a unified global response to end sexual violence and deepening our commitment to transformative justice.” 

Kolbassia Haoussou MBE, the Director of Survivor Leadership and Influencing at Freedom from Torture, says, “I am writing this message from my visit to Kosovo, sitting among survivors, as in many places, silence isn’t just personal – it’s cultural, it’s communal. Many survivors are left to carry their trauma alone, trapped by a stigma that makes it nearly impossible to seek help. We can only brek this with a better centering the survivors voices and expertise as one key element for finding better solution”.

The SVRI Forum 2024 programme includes 1500 delegates, 20 workshops, 67 participant-driven events, 39 exhibitors, 491 oral presentations, 224 four-minute presentations, 81 poster presentations, and more. The SVRI is supporting 83 people to participate in the Forum, which includes 56 bursaries, 4 young researchers and practitioners in the Young Professionals Programme. The SVRI Forum also boasts 12 donors and 38 partners this year. 

The plenary stage will bring together some of the most powerful voices within the violence against women and violence against children community each day – from global leaders to grassroots activists and youth addressing what interventions are working to reduce violence and how we can adapt and scale these up in sustainable ways. Through these conversations, presentations and panels, the SVRI Forum hopes to drive dialogue and mobilise collective action towards our shared vision of a world free from violence. 

The transformative power of art and activism is also woven throughout the Forum this year, from art installations to performance and an inaugural cinema programme.

South African art activist/craftivist and sexual assault survivor Nell-LouisePollock will present and work on her latest piece Shine the Light individually embroidering the names of women and children who have lost their lives at the hands of violent men in South Africa from Oct ’23 to Oct ‘24.  Weaving together patterns emerging from each of their countries, Women Engaged Against Violence Everywhere (WEAVE) Collective will be present to co-create knowledge through papers, new theories, documentaries, and art.

The Forum will also welcome Ballet After Dark, a USA-based NGO whose mission is to support Black and Brown girls and youth impacted by trauma and sexual violence. 

The theme of our second plenary on Wednesday is ‘Scale Up’ and will be facilitated by Dr Gary Barker, President and CEO of Equimundo: Center for Masculinities and Social Justice. Our third plenary on Thursday on ‘Intersections and Interventions’ will be facilitated by Dr Mary Ellsberg, Executive Director of the Global Women’s Institute. Award winners will be announced at the closing plenary together with some words of thanks, a call to action and some invigorating and fun entertainment.

The themes for SVRI Forum 2024 are:

1. Understanding VAW and VAC in their multiple forms
2. VAW and VAC prevention and response research and programmes
3. Advancing the science: methods and measures
4. Response and prevention programmes focusing on perpetration of VAW and VAC, and men who use violence
5. Childhood sexual violence
6. Integrating mental health, self-care and collective care in research and practice vital for advancing both science and practice.

For the full programme of topics, speakers and panellists click here.