The role of traditional leaders in preventing and addressing sexual and gender-based violence: Findings from KwaZulu-Natal, Northwest and Limpopo provinces in South Africa

The Ubuntu Institute is a registered non-profit organisation in South Africa looking at the role of culture, heritage and indigenous knowledge systems in achieving the Millennium Development Goals in Africa. The Institute works in the following Southern African The Institute focuses on HIV and AIDS, gender equality and the empowerment of women and youth, economic development and entrepreneurship, education and environmental sustainability. The Population Council is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organisation that seeks to improve the well-being and reproductive health of current and future generations around the world and to help achieve a humane, equitable, and sustainable balance between people and resources. The Council conducts research in three areas: HIV and AIDS, poverty, gender, youth, and reproductive health. Acknowledgements The Population Council would like to extend its gratitude and appreciation to Ubuntu Institute for their strategic partnership, expert advice, coordination and organisation in making this programme, community social mobilisation events and capacity building workshops possible in KwaZulu-Natal, North West and Limpopo provinces. We are grateful and indebted to the Traditional Leaders who shared their views and grassroots experiences on the socio-cultural factors influencing sexual assault and domestic violence and ways to improve strategies to address sexual assault and domestic violence. We are also grateful to our partners in the provinces: The Department of Health (DOH), Department of Justice (DOJ) and NGOs that participated and provided much needed capacity building for Traditional Leaders. We also thank LCC Capital Consulting and Leonie Selvan Communications for their assistance in compiling and producing this report.