The Miss South Africa Organisation, together with Miss South Africa 2025, Qhawekazi Mazaleni, and Top 5 finalist Gizelle Venske, partnered with the Centre for Wellness, Equity and Leadership (CWEL) during a Mamelodi Sundowns match-day activation at Loftus Versfeld Stadium to raise awareness about Gender Responsive Budgeting (GRB).
The activation centred on a simple but powerful message:
She should be budgeting for her future, not budgeting for her safety.
At its core, Gender-Responsive Budgeting asks a critical question of every public spending decision: Does the budget work equally for women and girls?
A road is not just a road. Is it well lit? Is public transport safe and accessible? Can a young woman travel safely after work, school or a sporting event? Can she access healthcare, safe public spaces and adequately funded gender-based violence support services when she needs them?
These questions are central to South Africa’s commitment to gender equality. In 2019, Cabinet approved the Gender Responsive Planning, Budgeting, Monitoring, Evaluation and Auditing (GRPBMEA) Framework, providing a mechanism to better integrate gender considerations into government planning and spending.
The Miss South Africa Organisation is proud to use its platform to amplify this important conversation and encourage greater public awareness of how budgets shape everyday experiences and opportunities for women and girls.
“Safety is not only a policy issue. It is a budgeting issue. Real change happens when our values are reflected in our budgets. Budgets are not just numbers; they are choices about streetlights, safe transport, safe public spaces and properly funded GBV services. That is what Budget for Her Safety means.”
Through initiatives such as #BudgetForHerSafety and #GRBNow, Miss South Africa continues to advocate for systems, spaces and investments that enable women and girls to move freely, learn, work, lead and thrive.